Everybody Here Wants You
by grrbaby
Summary: COMPLETED How can Hermione decide between the perfect boy or the one with spark?
1. Goodbye Bulgaria

A/N I don't any of these characters. J.K Rowling does. I just like to play with them

Bulgaria was beautiful. I learnt a lot of things there. I learnt some Bulgarian, strangely enough. I learnt that broomsticks could, indeed, hold the weight of two people. I also learnt that I was _not _in love with Viktor Krum. He's gorgeous, in reserved-Bulgarian sorta way, but we were too different. There was a certain language barrier to overcome, but the main thing was, that if we were to get involved, I would have to deal with my Quidditch-star boyfriend having his face plastered on the walls of teen witches all over the world. It would be the juvenile equivalent of dating Lockhart (well, the old Lockhart). And I don't like sharing.

          I didn't regret my trip to Bulgaria. Viktor will always hold a place in my heart as the first boy to have a crush on _me_, instead of vice-versa. But after three weeks in a foreign country, all I wanted to do was go home. I missed my parents, the London summer, and most of all, my two best friends (even if they did owl me every couple of days).

          Harry had been staying at the Weasley's place for the last week, after being stuck with the Dursley's for most of the holidays. When I got home in two days, Harry was going to stay with me for the last week of the holidays. We were to meet Ron at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. I had, of course, wanted Ron to stay with me as well, but it had been a big enough jump for my parents to let me go to Bulgaria, let alone let two boys (and wizards too!) stay with me.

          So the next day Viktor and I made sure was extra special. We made one last visit the Durmstrang, a magnificent place, if rather different to Hogwarts. I tried not to think what would happen to the school if Voldemort came to power. I was dying to know what was happening with You-Know-Who Ron and Harry hadn't been able to send news in case the owl was intercepted.

          I went home by traditional method. Plane. The whole 'airport' concept confused Viktor but he was happy to learn new things. He kissed me on the cheek at the airport but we both knew by then that nothing we would happen. We promised to owl each other and I hugged him goodbye.

          As I settled into my seat on the plane, I realised something. That kiss had sparked something in me…the last person I'd kissed on the cheek. Harry. Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. I didn't know why I'd done it. And why hadn't I done the same for Ron? What I horribly girly thing to do, But Hell! I _am _a girl. Even if Harry and Ron had failed to notice that little fact until the Yule Ball, we were 5th Years, it was time for them to realise they had a female for a best friend. Nope, no apologies for a silly little kiss on the cheek.

          _But gosh, I haven't seen the boys for weeks, I wonder how they're looking these days?….._


	2. Hermownninny

          A/N I don't own any of the characters you see before you, J.K Rowling does. I just like to play with them :D

As soon as I was out of Customs, I saw my parents. After spending three weeks with Viktor and his parents (neither of whom were Muggles), seeing them in their normal, Muggle, English clothing was a sight to behold. Dragging my luggage, I hurried over to them and gave them both a huge hug. Mum held me out at arms length.

          "You've only been gone three weeks but I swear you've grown so much" she smiled, looking me over.

          _Oh Lord_

"Mum, you sound like Nanna at Christmas" I said to her, glaring.

          She just laughed it off.

          "Yes, I spose I do"

          We wandered around the labyrinthine Heathrow Airport. Suddenly I heard a familiar voice.

          "Herm-own-ninny!" the voice called

          My head whipped around, searching the area.

          "Herm-own-ninny!" a second familiar voice joined in.

          I was immediately suspicious. As a way of teasing, Ron and Harry had starting writing my name as Viktor's incorrect pronunciation of it in their owls.

          Finally I caught a glimpse of them, or more correctly two blurs, one with bright red hair and the other dark brown, running at me from the direction we'd been walking away from. I was laughing, but I felt sorry for my parents, who were looking mightily confused. I managed to whisper "Harry and Ron" to them before I was literally crash-tackled. The effect of being fiercely hugged simultaneously by two 15-year-old boys sent us sprawling to the ground in a mass heap.

          After we got up, I was still looking at them in amazement.

          "Well, now that you've made fools of all three of us in public, do you want to tell me what you're doing here? Harry, you're meant to be coming to my place by Floo powder tonight! A d stop calling me Herm-own-ninny" I let out in a huge rush. As an afterthought, I added "Oh, yeah, Mum, Dad, this is Ron, and Harry, the boy who's staying with us".

          Mum and Dad smiled politely and shook hands with them. With the formalities over, I looed back at the boys.

          "Well?"

          Ron grinned at Harry.

          "Well, Dad had some things to do at Diagon Alley, so we asked him if we could go with him, but, you know, go through the Leaky Cauldron and into London-" Ron said.

          "And when I said we could meet you here and I could go home with you," Harry said, casting a furtive glance at my parents, who nodded, "he said he didn't see why not"

          Ron nodded, then added-

          "But boy, do the Muggles like to make things difficult. We had to catch a train and a bus and all sorts to get here. They should all use broomsticks. Of course, then they wouldn't need an airport…"

          Mum laughed at that.

          "Well, we can drive you back to the Leaky Cauldron dear. Harry, where's your luggage?".

          Harry pointed at the backpack he was wearing.

          "That's it. I'm a light packer" he grinned.

          Dad looked at my own suitcase.

          "Well, hopefully you can show Hermione a few things during your stay" he laughed.

          I winked at Harry

          "Oh, I'm sure he will Daddy" I said coyly.

          The look on Dad's face was priceless/

          "Just joking Daddy, just joking" I assured him, patting him on the back.

          Now my father seemed to understand this, but glancing at Ron, I wasn't sure _he _did.


	3. Tension in the backseat

            Disclaimer: I don't any of these characters. J.K Rowling does. I just like to play with them

I was wedged between my two favourite boys in the car on the way into the city.  Ron was staring moodily out the window.

          "I wish you could come over too" I whispered, thinking I could comfort him, as he was obviously jealous that Harry and I would have company until the end of the holidays. He gave me a wan smile.

          "Yeah, me too"

          "How's life in the Weasley household?" I asked. Maybe home life sucked and he wouldn't have Harry around to keep him sane anymore.

          "Well, Ginny's turned into such a _girl_ it's unbelievable. I reckon something's going on with Neville," he added with a laugh, "Fred and George are using the money Harry gave them to full advantage. Half their room's charred from the explosions. Percy's as weird as ever. After he found out that Mr Crouch was dead, he got all depressed. And now he's got to deal with the fact that an idiot heads the only place he's ever wanted to work, who believes Voldemort couldn't come back. Mum, Dad and Bill have been flat out helping Dumbledore. Charlie was here for a while but he was needed back in Romania." He finished.

          "Well, I'm glad you had Harry around for a bit to help with the chaos" I smiled at him.

          "Yep, only one week to go, then we can go back to school and save the world again" he sighed.

          I was confused.

          "What's that supposed to mean?"

          "Never mind, Herm-own-ninny"

          I poked my tongue out at him.

          "I told you not to call me that"

          He laughed, and then pinched my cheeks.

          "But you're so cute when you're angry!"

          Harry, who had been chatting with my parents, laughed out loud at this. I glared at them both, but decided to join in the fun. Seeing out the window a sign that said, " 'Reject Shop' Warehouse, 500m on left", I pointed it out.

          "Hey Ron, that's your stop!" I smirked at him. Harry burst out laughing and I think even my parents had a quiet giggle. Ron, with a cold glint in his eye, leaned forward and looked at Harry.

          "So, Harry, gonna "show Hermione a few things" this week are you?" he asked in a voice that was just low enough for my parents not to hear.

          Harry and I both flushed red. Who wouldn't? Simultaneously, we both said, "Shut up Ron".

          Ron grinned.

          "Just joking guys, you know that." I looked at him. He _appeared _to be sincere.

          "Yeah, alright, but shut up, _Ronnikins_" I smiled sweetly

          "Alright, _Herm-own-ninny_" he said. We mock-glared at each other, but I know we were in each other's good books again. I hoped Harry could see that he was sincere. Because, if I ever thought of _either_ of them romantically…. It would be Ron. I think.

A/N Okay, these have been really quick updates and chapter 4 will be up soon, but I think the chapter's will be getting longer after that, so don't start harassing me! Review please! :D


	4. Don't Forget Your Toothbrush

          Disclaimer: Once again, I own nothing, all characters are the working of the wonderful J.K Rowling.

Harry's a great guy. He's honest, reliable and sweet. But he's funny and cool enough to have those qualities without turning into a Percy-Weasley-type-character. He'd have been the perfect boyfriend. But there'd never been any zing, any real attraction in our relationship. That's why we were such great friends.

          Ron, on the other hand, was so hotheaded, so tempestuous, that we had never been able to avoid butting heads. But after that wee screaming match after the Yule Ball last year, I'd picked up on something in him. Jealousy? Could he be attracted to me? More importantly, did I reciprocate it? Before Viktor asked me to the ball, I wasn't really worried about which on of the asked me, as long as one _did. _But they didn't. I took that as a hint that they hadn't even realised I was female yet, let alone fancied me.

          After that little argument, Ron had acted normal around me. Except for when I was with Viktor, that is. But I thought that after the autograph-grabbing incident at the end of the year, he wasn't in fact jealous of Viktor, he was jealous of _me _for spending all that time with a famous Quidditch star.

          When we neared the Leaky Cauldron, my heart lurched. It was a lovely surprise when the boys turned up at the airport, I had to admit. I didn't want to say goodbye to Ron already. On the other hand, it would give me an opportunity to spend some time alone with Harry.

          When we pulled up at the curb, Ron jumped out. I followed him, and pulled him into a hug. _God, where's all this feminine sentimentality coming from?_

"I've missed you, Ninny," he whispered in my ear.

          _Aww, how sweet. What the heck is going on here? This is Ron!_

"Yeah, you too" I whispered, although I was a little confused. I pulled back.

          Harry had followed me out of the car, and he stepped forward to Ron. The two shook hands (_how bloody male can you get?!) _and said their goodbyes.

          Harry and I waved madly as we pulled away in the car. When Ron was out of sight, I turned back to Harry.

          "You realise we're going to see him in a week" I asked with a laugh.

          "Yeah" he replied, joining me in laughter.

          "So did you remember your toothbrush in your ultra-light packing?" I asked, adding an eye-roll for good measure.

          Harry slapped his forehead.

          "Shoot! I knew I forgot something!"

          I glanced at my parents. Both being dentists, they had an unhealthy obsession with people's teeth.

          Dad glanced back.

          "That's alright Harry, we'll pick one up for you from work"

          "It must still be at the Weasley's, I'll owl Ron later" Harry muttered, mainly to himself.

          As we headed towards home, the car fell into a comfortable silence. I began thinking. _Boy. In my house .In my room. _Was there anything embarrassing I'd left lying around before I went to Bulgaria? Harry may have been my best friend, but there are just some things you don't want a boy to see…_ Oh no! Oliver poster!_ Just before I'd left, Oliver Wood had been promoted from Puddlemere United's reserve to main team. His picture had been all over the teen witch magazine's I'd picked up in Hogsmeade, and I'd kinda always fancied him….

          _Must rip that down as soon as we get home._

          "What was that Herm-own-ninny?" Harry asked me, a playful glint in his eyes.


	5. The Humble Abode

Disclaimer: All characters the work of J.K Rowling. A/N Sorry people, the chapter 5 previously up was incomplete. This is the proper one, and sorry for anyone who had to read the one with all those borders, the problem is fixed now :D  
  
            "Welcome to our humble abode" I said to Harry with a smile as we got out of the car. My house didn't exactly look humble compared to the rest of the houses on our street. Two storeys high, with a dark brown colour, an imposing balcony and swimming pool (which was never used except for when I was home during the summer), it stood out from the single and split-level houses. But it was.humble on the inside, as Harry was about to find out. As I led him though the door, I felt it necessary to whisper, "My parents are very busy people" to him. Because I was only they're for about a quarter of the year, the mess didn't really bother me. But I felt a little embarrassed showing it to one of my friends. Harry gave me a little grin. 

            "Hermione, I lived in a cupboard. I think I can handle your house for a week". Way to make me feel better. Now, although I had lived there my whole life, therefore qualifying me to do it, my parents insisted on giving Harry the grand tour of the house, Mum picking things up and tidying along the way. At least I wasn't the only one ashamed about the state of things. We finished our tour in the spare room, where Harry would be staying. 

            "My parent's don't trust you to stay in my room," I whispered in his ear. He laughed. 

            "Don't worry, I don't either" Bloody cad. Time to go fix up my room.

             "Well, I'll leave you to settle in, I'm taking my things to my room. Back in ten" I said and backed out of the room. 

            After sprinting downstairs and retrieving my luggage, I entered my room for the first time in three weeks. The first thing I saw was Viktor Krum. Well, the face of Viktor Krum anyway. After dumping my suitcase, I ran over to the wall. I'd forgotten how many pictures and posters of Viktor I had, still-lives and moving pictures of him playing Quidditch. I pulled them down. I also pulled down the picture of Oliver Wood. After Harry had caught me out in the car, I'd muttered something about how jet lag had caught up with me and I was talking to myself. Smooth. I chucked the pictures into a drawer and scanned the room for other such embarrassing items. _Underwear! _A few things had fallen onto the floor during last-minute packing. I picked up the bras and panties and closed the drawer firmly. There wasn't much else in the room of interest. Bed, desk, lots of books, model of the planets, pictures of the boys and my parents. Satisfied, I left the room and went back to Harry's. I entered after knocking softly.

             Harry was stretched out on the bed, his eyes closed_. Hello! _Was he awake?

             "Harry?" I whispered. 

            "Hey Herm-own-ninny" he said, his eyes slowly opening. 

            "Could you not call me that?" 

            "Sure Hermy" he laughed. 

            "You bloody boys. First it's Herm-own-ninny, then Ron calls me Ninny, now it's you with Hermy!" I exclaimed. Harry's eyes darkened.

             "When did Ron call you Ninny?" he asked. 

            "When we said goodbye" _Where is he going with this?_

            "Right". He seemed put out. "Did he say anything else notable?"

             "He said, "I've missed you, Ninny". Stop being a prat"._ Bloody males! _Harry looked relieved.             "Alright. We both missed you terribly, you know, he added. 

            "You have to tell me what's going on with-" my voice dropped, even though we were alone in the room "-Voldemort". 

            "Will do Hermy, but can we have some food first?" Harry added with a smile, patting his stomach. _Girls and food, that's all they think about, I swear!_  
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            After I'd fixed him up with some chips and Coke (all I could find at the time), we sat down at the kitchen table. I checked my parent's were watching T.V in the living room, I hadn't told them about Voldemort, as I doubted that they would understand and would probably send me back to a Muggle school. Which just could not happen. 

            "So?" I urged him, as he gulped down a mouthful of Coke. 

            "Well, we don't have a lot, only what we could convince Ron's dad to tell us. I think we'll be able to find out more from Dumbledore at school" he said, paused, the seemingly got distracted by our cat clock on the wall. _Bloody male attention span._

            "Harry. What do we know?" I hissed. He snapped back to attention. 

            "Sorry Hermy. Right. Hagrid and Madame Maxime's "secret operation", which was obviously to go see the giants, is finished. They were fairly confident when they came back that Voldemort swaying the giants wouldn't be an issue. Umm, Ministry says heaps more supporters are going back to Voldemort. And, unfortunately, Mr Weasley said lots of Ministry members are following Fudge's lead and refusing to believe that Voldemort has come back, but his managed to talk sense to a few. No news on Snape's or Sirius' missions" he said, finishing on a sad note. I placed a comforting hand on his arm. 

            "You'll hear from him soon Harry"

             "Hermione, I sent Hedwig with an urgent message for him to write two days ago, and she's still not back." He looked truly scared. I found this hard to comprehend, on top of everything else I had been told.             "Harry, you can't worry unnecessarily. Any news on the Dementors?" I asked, trying to steer his mind away from his godfather. It didn't work. All I got was a glum face and a "nope". _Moodier than me on P.M.S. _Must distract him. 

            "Harry, why don't I show you around the neighbourhood before it gets too dark?" I suggested. He looked up. 

            "Okay". I would have liked to have dropped in on some of my Muggle friends from childhood, but the truth was, most of them were as bad as Lavender or Parvati.I could already hear the whispers of "He's cute" and "Were did you get that scar from?" in my head, that would arise from me taking Harry for a visit. So we went for a random wander through my neighbourhood. We chatted at times, I pointed out funny and interesting things (rare) and shared my memories of growing up there. We acted like kids for a while at the park, taking turns going down the slippery slide and trying to go over the bar on the swings. When we were exhausted and it was getting dark, we headed home. Even when he was down, Harry was great to spend time with (although I think I cheered him up a bit).

             Dinner was rather uneventful (apart from my parents grilling Harry, and him struggling to answer, not wanting to give anything away that they didn't/shouldn't know) and we sat down afterwards to watch some T.V. After about five minutes, I could feel the jet lag truly setting in, and I knew if I didn't get to bed immediately, I'd fall asleep on the couch. I managed to mutter "Harry. Bed now" before staggering upstairs. Harry got up and followed, making motions to catch me as he climbed the winding staircase behind me. I was left thinking "I hope he doesn't stay up worrying" as I practically fell out of my clothes and into my pyjamas, then promptly fell asleep.  
  
A/N Chapter fixed! Sorry about all the screw-ups. Please review! 


	6. Playing House

            Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters belong to J.K Rowling. The rest is all mine.

It felt strange to wake up in warmth. Warm bed, shortie pyjamas. Very unlike Bulgaria. But it was a little too warm, which meant…it was late in the morning. Even in summer, early morning was cold.

            _Oh no! Harry! I'm a terrible hostess!_

I jumped out of bed and ran down the hall to his room. My parent's would've already left for work. _He's probably bored out of his brains. _The room was empty. _Great, I've lost a guest._

I sprinted down the staircase at a dangerous speed (bad habit of mine). I found Harry in the living room, watching re-runs of _Eastenders_ on T.V. I crossed my arms over my chest, and I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.          

            "If you could learn how to use the thing, how come you couldn't at least choose something decent to watch?"

            He turned, surprised, and gave me the once-over.

            "Well, you couldn't choose 'decent' apparel, and you know all the clothes you own" he said with a smirk. It was true; my pyjama shorts _were _verging on indecent.

            "Sorry I slept in. My body must still be adjusting. Have you eaten?" I asked. He may have been entertained, but I hoped he wasn't starving.

            "No," he replied, "but I haven't been up long. And I knew how to use the television because Mr Weasley demanded I share his discovery of them while I was staying. I've yet to master reading the programme though" he said with a laugh.

            "Right. Well, I'm going to go have a shower and then I'll make us breakfast. What time is it by the way?"    

            "Midday"

            "Make that lunch" I stated and left the room, laughing. Harry had started playing with the buttons on the remote.

            After I'd had a shower, I got dressed into something 'decent' (well, a tank top and shorts) and tamed my hair, which had, unbeknownst to me, been sticking up on one side of my head life a deformed bonsai throughout the scene downstairs.

            I made Harry and myself some eggs and toast, which he gobbled up hungrily, so he made some seconds (with some difficulty). We were munching away happily at the kitchen table when he popped the question.

            "So, Hermy, what are we doing today?"            

            I paused. I had considered proposing this, and then decided not to, then decided to again.

            "Well, uh, I was thinking, it'd be good to do something nice for my parents while I was here. How do you feel about cleaning the house?"            

            He laughed and shook his head, while muttering "Only you…."

            "Only me what?" I demanded. I didn't think it was such a bad suggestion.

            "Only you, Hermy, would consider cleaning your whole house during your own holidays, and while you have company too!" he was still laughing.

            "It's not the _whole _house, pretty much only the messy parts you can see. And you never know what you'll find in a house like this!" I added. He smiled.

            "Alright, you've won me over. But I should have a shower first" It was my turn to laugh.

            "I wouldn't bother, you'd need another one by the time we've finished" I grinned. He scowled.

            "But you got one!"

            "That's because it's my house!" I poked my tongue out at him in a most immature way.

            We started where we were, the kitchen.  We scrubbed and scoured, and the place came up looking sparkling clean. We were wet and sweaty already. The living room consisted mainly of moving and throwing put old magazines and newspapers, and vacuuming. 

            Things got silly when we got to the hall closet. A proposal of "Harry, I dare you to try this on" continued to see me wearing a 1980's bridesmaid's dress, gumboots and skiing goggles. Harry was wearing one of my old floral caps on his head, one of my dad's old, stretched singlets and the skiing boots that went with my goggles. I insisted on taking his picture, but, unfortunately, he also managed to get a snap of me.

            After we had finished messing about, I sent Harry to do the bathroom while I vacuumed my own and my parent's room, and tidied the hallway, as I knew the shoes, books and boxed lying in it were a threat to my personal safety, the way I went running around the place. When I finished, I went to check on Harry in the bathroom. Just as my hand reached the knob, I heard water running. Pulling back, I called "Harry?" into the door.

            "Hermione! Don't come in! I'm taking a shower!"          

            Trying to push away the accompanying mental image, I called out "Okay", went to bedroom, and flipped through some magazines. After about ten minutes, Harry walked past my open door, wearing naught but a towel. _He's your best friend, stop checking out those Quidditch-toned muscles…Argh! _He smiled.

            "I thought we'd finished, so I decided to use that much-anticipated shower. You could probably use one yourself Hermy".

            I poked my tongue out (twice in one day, what was I, a nine-year-old?!) before he smirked and padded off towards his room.

            We were settled in front of _Top of the Pops _fifteen minutes before Mum and Dad came home. They were, not surprisingly, delighted. At the dinner table, Mum beamed across at us.

            "Did I say thankyou yet?"

            We both laughed.

            "Yes Mum" I said.

            "Well, I'd like to repay you both, especially you Harry. How about I give you both some money, and you can go into the city tomorrow? You must've been pretty bored today, if you resorted to cleaning" she added with a winking.

            _I love my Mum._

"Thanks Mum" I grinned. Harry joined me.

            "Thankyou very much Mrs Granger"

            "Ah, what manners! You certainly are a very special young man" Mum said, her vice spilling with pride.

A/N Hope you liked it! It might seem a little slow-moving but I'm trying not to rush Hermione and Harry's developing relationship/friendship/whatever it ends up to be ;)


	7. The Siamese Twins

            Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters, so, strangely enough, belong to the author of the Harry Potter series, J.K Rowling. Behold me messing with them.

            A/N: I live in Australia. I know hardly anything about London. I made that whole thing up; so don't expect it to be geographically correct or anything. Also, please go back and read chapter 5. I've realised that the whole thing didn't upload the first time: That has been fixed.

"Beep! Beep! Beep!"

            I rolled over to slam off my alarm clock. It was already off. _What? _My eyes snapped open. Harry was standing over me, ready to let off another chorus of beeps.

            "Harry! Shut up!" I yelled.

            "You've turned that damned thing off twice already. If you don't get up now, we'll miss the train." He was trying to frown while laughing at the same time. _London! _Clutching the covers to myself, I sat up.

            "Sorry Harry. You go get dressed; I'll go have a shower. Pop some toast on will you?" I pleaded and he walked out of the room with a nod.

            I jumped in the shower in a hurry. I couldn't believe I'd slept in again. _I never sleep in at school, what's wrong with me now? Thank God Harry's here. _After I was out of the shower, I pulled on my jeans and a t-shirt, dragged a brush through my hair while attempted to blow-dry it straight, and put on a little makeup. Something about the city made me want to look a little better than usual.

            When I got downstairs, I found Harry in the kitchen. _A true domestic man. _I had to smile at that. And it seemed by now that he was a bona-fide expert with a toaster, as I was presented with two perfect pieces of toast with Marmite upon entering the kitchen. I raised an eyebrow.

            "You realised that we're not allowed to use magic outside of school?"

            It was his turn to poke out his tongue.

            "Just eat it, sloth-woman".

            I looked down at his clothing. I rolled my eyes.

            "Great, people are going to think we're twins who let our mother dress us".

            He looked down, then at me. We were both wearing jeans and black t-shirts. He let out a laugh. 

            "Oh well, perhaps we can be _Siamese _twins" he said, with an atrocious attempt at an eyebrow-wiggle, came over and pushed his hip against mine. "Joined at the hip".

The train ride was rather boring and tedious. I think we annoyed our fellow commuters because even in crowds, Harry made us link arms, insisting we were now "Joined at the elbow". I was glad he was happy, that he hadn't been upset about Sirius all day. I planned on keeping it that way. When we got off at King's Cross Station, we both looked at the barrier between platforms nine and ten, and the way everyone walked straight past it. And then we went into the city.

            Harry was entranced by it. The only proper "shopping" he'd ever done was at Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, where he was rich from his account at Gringotts. Outside the wizarding world, he was just a boy having a good time on little money. 

            I took high down the high street, and we peered in the windows of designer clothing shops. We loitered around the famous Harrods until a security guard approached. We had lunch at Maccy D's. Then I took him to a little record and CD store I knew. Harry was just familiar with CDs, so rifling through shelves of records was an odd experience for him. Finally, I took him to my favourite shop in the city, Reba's Reads, a gorgeous bookstore. It was average-sized, but absolutely overflowing with books, ranging from rare and second-hand, to new bestsellers. I could've spent a whole day there (in fact, I had before), but we had to leave all too soon.

            And the whole time, we were attached. For convenience purposes, usually at the elbow. We once tried to walk attached at the hip on a sidewalk and it resulted in public shame for both of us when confronted with a woman pushing a stroller.

We got home just before my parents. Harry had just said, "Thanks for a great day out" and was leaning over to give me a hug when my parents walked in. _Oh God! This must look bad. _ Harry pulled back, and just grinned at me parents. _The nerve!_ My parents were smiling back.

"So, how was your day?" Mum asked with a queer grin.

"Good" I said shortly.

"London was great. Hermione even showed me Reba's Reads" Harry rambled on to my parents. They seemed happy at this.

We had dinner in front of the T.V that night, watching the news. My parents we on one couch, Harry and I on the other. I couldn't help but notice that they kept glancing at us while we ate and chatted. _It was only an almost-hug! _I wanted to scream. But I kept silent. They left the room when we put on a video. I was tempted to move over to the other couch just to prove them wrong, but I didn't wan to offend Harry. And it was nice to have someone to lean on when I got tired. When it was over, he leaned his head next to my mine.

"Do you think I'll hear from him soon?" I heard him whisper. I was petrified. There was always the chance that Voldemort _had _got to Sirius.

"Yes, definitely" I said firmly.

We got up simultaneously. Time for bed. As we got up to my door, Harry said to me "Thanks again for today". He gave me a hug and I muttered "No problem".

These hugs were starting to screw me up.

A/N Please review! :D


	8. The Obligatory Shower Scene

            I made sure I didn't sleep in the next morning. The second my alarm went off, I sat bolt upright and went to the bathroom to have a hot shower, in hope that it might wake me up. I almost fell asleep in there. I closed my eyes, letting the vaguely stinging water wash over my body. I opened my eyes and was presented with, in seeming slow-motion, the sight of the doorknob turning, the door opening, a groggy Harry in t-shirt and boxers rubbing his eyes, him realizing what was happening as he saw me, then squeaking (no mean feat for a boy) and backing out quickly, slamming the door. I had barely uttered a shout, in a state of shock. _How bloody embarrassing. Oh God, how am I going to look him in the eye?_

I got out of the shower straight away. It was no longer relaxing. _Let him not be outside that door. _I turned the knob and stepped out, wearing my bathrobe. No Harry in sight. _Good! _I bolted to my room, and got dressed in a hurry. I couldn't help but think that my almost encounter with him in the shower two days ago proved you could hear the shower running, _so why didn't he? _I wanted to ask him but at the same time, I didn't really want to discuss it, lest I die from shame. I walked down to the kitchen, knowing I'd have to face him _some _time.

            I was met again with two perfect pieces of toast and Marmite, and a very apologetic-looking raven-haired boy.

            "I am _so _sorry Hermione," he pleaded, his eyes widening.

            _Don't want to talk about this. _I looked down. _Don't want to look in those eyes either._

"S'alright Harry, it's no big deal". _If you happen to have no shame. _Harry looked sceptical.

            "If you say so Hermy. But I truly am sorry".

            I sat down at the kitchen table to eat the toast. Harry joined me with orange juice. We ate and drank in silence, until suddenly, I could hold it in no longer.

            " But _how _could you not hear the water running?" I demanded. Harry blushed. 

            "I don't know. My senses are all strange when I wake up," he laughed, "and I really, really needed to go to the loo".

            I giggled at him.

            "Well, I'm sorry I got between your bladders needs and the toilet"   

            "It's alright, after some frantic searching, I found your downstairs toilets."

We spent the morning doing homework (Harry very reluctantly). I had just remembered Professor Snape had given us a Potions essay to be done over the holidays and I hadn't thought about it, what with Bulgaria and Harry visiting. I felt incredibly guilty and pulled out all my Potions books and notes, and insisted Harry do it also. I didn't want Snape to have a reason to take points off Gryffindor first thing in the term. I slogged away for three hours, at which point I was satisfied with my essay. Harry had finished half an hour ago. 

            Just as I put my last book on the shelf, Pigwidgeon, Ron's owl, flew in the window, dropped a piece of parchment and hooted excitedly. Crookshanks, curled up on my bed, glared at him. Harry, in surprise, held out an arm for Pig to land on, which he did. Harry took him out of the room, away from Crookshanks, presumably to give him some food and leave him in Hedwig's cage. I meanwhile, picked up the parchment. It read:

            _Dear Ninny and Harry,_

_            How are you? Done anything exciting? Ninny, I hope you're not working Harry too hard and aren't raving on endlessly about a certain Bulgarian Quidditch player. Life is about as boring as can be around here. Well, not for everyone else but for me. No news on the You-Know-Who front. See you in three days,_

_            Ron._

            I felt horrible. Since we had said goodbye, I'd hardly thought of Ron, my other best friend. While trying to keep Harry's thoughts off one thing (and failing), I had basically forgotten everything else. I wanted to write back straight away, but then I remembered that the letter was also addressed to Harry.

            "Harry! Letter from Ron!" I called. Harry rushed in and read it, laughing at the reference to Viktor, and then sobering as he read on. I started writing a reply and Harry added his part when I was finished. Our completed letter was:

            _Dear Ron,_

_            I'm well. We went to London yesterday, which was fun. I have certainly not been working Harry too hard you cheeky git (apart from making him clean the house!) and he's been keeping me so distracted, I haven't even mentioned a certain Bulgarian Quidditch player. Hope you're not too bored over the next three days. How about actually doing that Potions essay?_

_            Hermione_

_            Hello Ron,_

_            Harry here. The woman's a slave driver. I had to clean the bathroom! It's as bad as the Dursleys. But I think I got my vengeance this morning (just joking Hermy). Don't ask. London was amazing. I even had a good time in a bookstore! Oh, and as Hermy reminded me, not doing that essay will give the Greasy One an excuse to take points off us. So do it!_

_            Harry._

Harry fetched Pig and we sent him off. It was hot, in an unusual steamy English summer sort of way. I looked at Harry. He was sweating.

            "Have you got your swimming trunks?"

            He shook his head.

            "Well, you're just going to have to wear your shorts, because it's too hot and that pool is dying to be used". I grinned. He grinned back and went to his room to change. I went to my drawer and looked at my choices. _One-piece or bikini? Heck, the guy's seen me naked, might as well go for the bikini. _The red triangle bikini won out, so I changed into it, grabbed two beach towels and went outside, where Harry was already waiting beside the pool. His eyebrows shot skywards. _I wonder what that was for? _I tossed a towel to him and we hung them over the fence.

            The dive in was terrible. It was _freezing! _Also, I wasn't too fond of water after the second task last year. At least I knew Harry was fully capable of saving me (although there was no Gillyweed this time). Suddenly I got a rush of memories, sitting beside the lake, Viktor pulling weeds and beetles out of my hair… 'I've never felt this way about a girl'…I shook off the memories as I surfaced. Harry was floating on his back, his eyes closed. I decided to have a little fun. Diving low and being careful to avoid the initial kick, I rose below him and ran my hand along his bare back. This had happened to me and I knew it felt very creepy. 

I floated up again, to Harry with a shocked face yelling "Hermione!" I laughed at him, and he rushed at me (as much as you could in a pool). I think he was trying to tackle me. I decided to duck him, and put all my weight on his shoulders. I hadn't counted on him being so strong, as I was unexpectedly lifted into the air. Squealing like mad and demanding he let me down, I heard a "Hellooooo" and the click of the side gate. _If this is my parents, they're going to be incredibly suspicious. _It wasn't my parents. It was Diane, whom I had grown up with. Her eyes bugged out as she walked into my backyard to see me in a red bikini, riding a strange boy's shoulders. I don't blame her.

"Hello!" she called, "what happened to your older man? The Bulgarian hunk?" she asked with a laugh. That girl had no shame. Also, as far as she knew, I went to a regular boarding school in Scotland and Viktor had been an exchange student. I whispered to Harry "Let me down" and he did. I got out of the pool and wrapped a towel around myself. Harry did the same. Once Diane had reached us, I hugged her and stepped back.

"Diane Grayling, Harry Potter, Diane, Harry's one of my closest friends from school. Harry, Diane and I grew up together, she lives around the block"

The two shook hands, and Diane studied both of us.

"So, are you two dating or something?"


	9. Black Silk

            Disclaimer: All characters except Diane belong to J.K Rowling.

The next morning I used a 'Do Not Disturb' sign I had made. I did not have to shower in fear. I had made the sign the afternoon before at Diane's suggestion. After we had established that we were _not _dating to Diane, Harry and I spent the afternoon with her, and had relayed the shower story. She found it hysterical, but also recognized the need for an early warning system, and had recommended the sign. I had to admit, she was a bit dim at times, but came up with some ingenious ideas. My parents had wondered at the need for it bit neither Harry nor I were about to explain with examples.

            When I was finished in the shower, I walked to my room. Harry was sitting on my bed. I was only wearing a towel.

            "Harry?" I asked.

            He walked towards me in the doorway.

            "Hurry up and get dressed. Hedwig's come back. I'm not opening the letter without you" he said with a massive grin, and squeezed past me. I'm lucky he didn't dislodge my towel (oh, wait, that didn't really matter, because he'd already seen me _naked!_)

            When I was dressed, I rushed into Harry's room, bursting in on a frightening sight. Harry, wearing only black silk boxers. About to head downwards. Harry looked up quickly. _Oh God, oh crap, oh no. _

"Hermy, you can pick your jaw up off the ground and close the door now" he laughed. I was tempted to stay in the room and shut it behind me, but I snapped out of it.

            "Sorry!" I yelped and backed out quickly. _Eep. Well, I suppose that's revenge for yesterday morning. But I almost saw him naked! I didn't see his…no, best not to go there._

Visibly flustered, Harry opened the door, and motioned for me to come inside. Bright red, I complied.

            "Sorry" I said.

            "Perhaps your parents should consider locks?" he said with a laugh.

            "They've never really needed them, with only three of us" I explained.

            "Yes well, perhaps we should try to avoid all unintentional glimpses of each other in various states of undress until we leave".

            I raised an eyebrow.

            "Unintentional?" I asked with a smirk. He thrust the letter at me.

            "You open it", he said. I glanced at him. Surely he wanted to do it himself? He only shook his head, so I ripped through the seal. I read through it, then out loud to Harry.

            _"Dear Harry_

_            Sorry I can't say much in this letter. I am at a certain werewolf's house. We had trouble with A.F; we suspect they may be a traitor, which is hard for us.  Expect to see a big, black dog around school when you return. Hedwig has been well-fed."_

The relief washed over Harry's face. He then snatched it back to read over himself. Then he started frowning.

            "A.F? Who could A.F be?" he asked. We both thought about it very hard.

            "Arabella Figg!" I shouted. "Do you remember Dumbledore's instruction's to Sirius? 'You are to alert Remus Lupin, Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher – the old crowd'". I smiled triumphantly. Harry looked at me, amazed.

            "Hermy, your memory deserves to be worshipped at an altar"            

            I blushed.

            "Thank you. So, a traitor huh? For once I can't wait to go back to school"

            "Are we going to Diagon Alley tomorrow?" Harry asked.

            "Yep. So, what do you want to do for the rest of the day?"

            "Actually, I've quite started to like that show _Eastenders…_"

We whiled away the next few hours in front of the television (not watching _Eastenders _mind you). My parents had given me the movie _10 Things I Hate About You _for Christmas, so we watched that, although Harry moaned loudly about it being a 'chick flick'. When it was finished, we were sitting on the same couch, throwing M&Ms into each other's mouths. At this close proximity, I became fixated with how vividly green his eyes were. I didn't realize he'd thrown a candy, and it missed, rolling down my top. Harry leaned over.

            "Here, let me get that" he said with a wink.

            "Harry!" I shrieked, clutching my chest. There was a loud knock. I ran to answer the door, revealing Diane on the other side. She looked concerned.

            "Is everything alright? I heard squealing", she asked. I let her in.

            "No, everything's alright, Harry's just making vain attempts to grope me" I replied, rolling my eyes at Harry, who had been laughing since my outburst. He made room for Diane next to him on the couch and I sat on the other.

            "So, how are you?" he asked her.

            "Okay. Bored out of my brains. Do you two want to go see a film tomorrow?"      

            Harry and I looked at each other awkwardly.

            "Uh, we cant", I started, "we have to go into the city and pick up school supplies". It wasn't a lie!

            "Can't you do that in town?"

            "No, we have to go to a, uh, specialist store" Harry added.

            "Oh". She looked disappointed. Then she perked up immediately.

            "So, how's life around the Granger household? Since yesterday, I mean". I snorted. She looked at me questioningly so I explained the morning's event of walking in on Harry, leaving out, of course, the details about the owl and Sirius. When I was finished, Harry was beet red and Diane was looking at me with a serious expression.

            "Hermione, you should've closed that door with you inside. He still owes you for the shower" she said, and then burst into laughter. I blushed, recalling how her words closely mirrored my own thoughts that morning.

            Diane had brought her swimmers, so we jumped into the pool for a while before accepting the reality that it was too cold to swim (yes, even in summer. Damn England). Diane looked at me.

            "Too bad you don't have a hot tub"

            "They have a spa bath" Harry said with a laugh. Diane eyed me with a mischievous looks.

            "No Diane. We won't fit in it! It's only made for two people!" I stated firmly. She grinned.

            "Bye. You two have fun" she said with a wink, then walked out the side gate. I looked back at Harry.

            "Well, that was abrupt" I said.

            "So, how about it Hermy?" he suggested, his emerald peepers flashing. I frowned. _Oh come on, where's your spontaneity?_

"Okay" I said, and led him to the bathroom. I started the water and we dropped our towels (still wearing our swimmers!). As we settled in, I felt his foot brush my thigh.

            _Note to self: next time, ignore inner voice. Seems to lead me into sticky situations._

A/N I thought it was time to heat things up a bit. Too bad they have to go back to school, huh? Please review!


	10. Sex on Legs

            Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters belong to J.K Rowling.

            A/N Thanks heaps reviewers! You rock my world! Chocolat Elf, I tend to end chapters wherever it feels right, and so far each chapter has encapsulated one day. Once they get back to school, who knows how long they'll be! To those who hate Diane, no, I won't kill her off but she won't be appearing in story much after next chapter J

My parents were always stared at when they entered the Leaky Cauldron, the one location where they were out of place. Therefore, for the start of my first year, they dropped Harry and I off nearby and went shopping in London. I was just glad to get out of the car. Harry and I had been sitting as far away as possible on the back seat and my parents had been casting suspicious glances at us what seemed to be every two seconds. When I was out and with pounds in my hand to exchange at Gringotts, I was delighted.

            Harry and I had hardly exchanged a glance since the previous afternoon. I had shivered when his foot brushed my thigh, but simply gulped, closed my eyes and tried to relax. That was the point of spa baths, wasn't it? _Perhaps not when you're sharing one with a teenage boy. _I had opened my eyes to find Harry staring at me.

            "What?" I asked.

            "Nothing" he muttered, then shifted his leg in the cramped space.  The entire length of his leg was pressed against mine._ Oh boy. _I had stared at him, but he didn't move his leg, so I simply closed my eyes again. I then felt a funny sensation in my foot. My eyes snapped open to reveal Harry tickling my feet.

            "Harry!" I squealed. "Don't! I'm dreadfully ticklish!"

            He raised his eyebrows at me.

            "Really?"

            He then dove at me and began brushing his fingers over my bare stomach. In near hysterics, I stood up. I was afraid of where all this foamy water and slippery limbs would leads us. Perhaps the hot water was going to our heads? I had glanced down at Harry, still sitting in the bath, dejected.

            "I think we should stop now, before this gets out of hand."

            Thus we entered Diagon Alley with Harry thinking I was a cold bitch and me mightily confused. _I mean, excuse me for not wanting to screw up our friendship by letting him run away with his hormones! He was probably having a fine old time imagining I was Cho Chang anyway…_

But the truth was, I had to set things right again; I didn't want to go back to school with things being awkward between us. I wanted to go back to normal.

            "Harry, I have a surprise for you later. But you have to let me shop on my own for a while, okay?  It'll only take half an hour after we've finished buying our school stuff."

            He looked at me in confusion then flashed me a small smile.       

            "Okay Hermione"

            _He's calling me Hermione again…something's still wrong._

We went to Gringotts and I converted my Muggle money, while Harry got a bagful of Galleons from his vault. After we were finished there we went first to Flourish and Blotts to get our books for that year, as well as parchment and quills. We went to the Apothecary and picked up potion ingredients, and I also got a new set of scales because Neville had broken mine last year. Finished with school supplies, I left Harry at Quality Quidditch supplies and went to Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour to buy us ice cream. I returned Harry's to him then waved goodbye. I'm sure he was tempted to follow but I got in front of a man as large as Hagrid so he obscured Harry's view. 

            The camera I had taken our pictures with on the day we cleaned the house was not a Muggle camera. My parents had ventured into Diagon Alley to buy it for me for Christmas. Of course, that meant the pictures had to be developed with magic, which I couldn't do. So I took the camera to the shop and had a look at the novelty frames while waiting for the film to be developed. I found one that looked like it was made entirely of miniature broomsticks and bought it. When my pictures were done, I asked the witch at the counter if she could perhaps charm the pictures to look as one? (Hey, if they can be digitally manipulated in the Muggle world, why shouldn't there be a magic equivalent?). The witch replied that she certainly could and I left the store with a photograph of Harry and myself, him in the singlet, floral cap and ski boots, me in the '80's bridesmaid dress, gumboots and skiing goggles, poking our tongues out, striking poses and messing about, in the broomstick frame.

            When I met up with Harry again outside the Quidditch store, I could've sworn he never left. He was drooling over some broomstick in the window still. I tapped his shoulder and grinned.

            "Time for your surprise. Close your eyes"

            He smiled and obliged.

            "I like the sound of this surprise already"

            I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

            "Hold out your hands"

            He cupped his hands in front of himself and I put the frame in them. His eyes snapped open and examined the photo and then the frame, then bulged out slightly.

            "Hermy! This is brilliant! Thank you!" he exclaimed, then pulled me in for a hug. His hands snaked around my lower back. _Friendly hug Hermione, thank you hug…_He pulled back.

            "In anticipation of your surprise, I also got you a surprise, to thank you for your hospitality over the past week" he grinned. I was surprised. But if I though I was surprised then, I was in a state of shock when he uncoiled from his pocket a silver chain with a red crystal on the end and put it in my hand.

            "It changes colour each day" he muttered, his face beginning to match the shade of the pendant.

            I had heard of necklaces like these. Every 24 hours, the colour of the crystal would change, so one day you might appear to be wearing a ruby necklace, the next an emerald, the next a topaz and so on. It was amazing, not to mention gorgeous. For once in my life, I struggled to find words, so I wrapped him in another hug and whispered "Thank you" in his ear. We stood there for what seemed like an eternity and I felt his hand reach down to my own. _What's going on here? _But he simply took the necklace out of my hand, circled it round my neck and did the clasp up at the back. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world to have a friend as good as Harry.

            "Well haven't you two got cosy since I saw you last?" I heard a male voice behind me say in a thick Scottish brogue. We quickly parted.

            "Oliver!" Harry shouted. "Hermione was just…thanking me for something" Harry said, looking shifty, although not nearly as shifty as Oliver, in a wide-brimmed hat and large sunglasses. Oliver glared at him, grabbed both of our wrists and pulled us into a side alley. When we were out of sight he took off the hat and sunglasses. He grinned.

            "Sorry, I tend to get a bit, uh, harassed when I go to wizarding places these days…especially by those teenage witches…" he drifted off, then looked at me civilly.

            "Hello, Hermione"

            _Ooh baby he's still sex on legs, and that accent, swoon! Must. Find. Words…_

"Hello Oliver" I said with a smile. My tongue felt like it was made of cotton wool. He looked at me strangely, then at Harry.

            "So, are you two dating or something?"

A/N Please review!


	11. Late Night Chess

Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K Rowling. As you do. 

A/N Thankyou reviewers! Seriously, you guys that review basically every chapter that I put up are appreciated more than you know.

            Harry and I had grabbed our own compartment on the Hogwarts Express at ten to eleven the next morning. At two minutes to eleven, Ron burst in the door.

            "Harry! Herm-own.ninny!" he yelled with a grin. I rolled my eyes at him.

            "I'm considering calling you guys 'Arry and Ron" I quipped, imitating Fleur Delacour's thick French accent. Ron looked at me.

            "Sorry Ninny, but you're no Veela" he smirked at me.

            "Well perhaps I should walk around like this?" I asked, and then strutted around the compartment, swaying my hips and tossing my hair over my shoulder. Harry raised his eyebrows.

            "Perhaps you should. If you did, and there was a ball this year, I would ask you right now!" Harry laughed. Ron glanced at me.       

            "Ninny, will you go to the Halloween Ball with me?" he asked with another smirk.

            "What?" I asked. _What is he talking about?_

            "Dad says there's going to be a Halloween Ball this year, one of Dumbledore's ideas to take our minds off Voldemort and everything. It's going to be fancy dress. Anyway, Harry just reminded me that you demanded last year that I ask you first, next time there was a ball" he said with a grin. _Argh. Well, at least he did ask. And I think I still fancy him. Bloody boys._

"I don't know Ron. You _did _just tease me," I said with a smile.

            "I'm sorry Hermione. So will you go with me?" he persisted. He had looked sincere. This was the second time in a week I'd instantly accepted his apologies. _He must have some power over me._

"Okay, I'll go with you" I said with a smile. Harry had remained silent the whole time, staring out the window. _What's wrong with him?  I hope he doesn't mind me accepting Ron's invitation. Hey, if he doesn't wan t me to go with Ron, he could have said something. I'll talk to him later…_

Fred and George Weasley came in and started a game of Exploding Snap with Ron and I. Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet, 7th Years and Chasers on the Gryffindor with Harry, joined us soon after,

            "Where's Katie?" Fred asked Alicia, referring to Katie Bell, their friend and the team's other Chaser. Alicia let out a laugh.

            "Oh, writing a letter to Oliver, you know how those two are". The mention of Oliver sparked my interest.

            "'Those two'? What do you mean?" I asked. Alicia looked at me like I was an idiot.

            "Katie and Oliver have been dating since we were in 5th Year"

            _Uh-oh. I have been thinking lustful thoughts about a boy with a long-term girlfriend. Oh well, he probably still thinks I'm dating Harry anyway, as much as we denied it. _After trying to convince Oliver yesterday that we were not dating, we had chatted to him for a bit about life at Puddlemere, the he hurried off to buy some parchment. _Probably to write to Katie with._

"Oh" I said, flushing red.

            As Hogwarts neared, we changed into our robes. As the train jolted to a stop, we lurched towards to door of our compartment. As we were getting off the train, Ron turned to look at me.

            "You know Hermione, you do resemble a Veela sometimes. But only when you're angry. I sometimes think you're going g to sprout scaly wings too!" he said with a wink, and then ran away so I couldn't hit him.

            When he laughed, it was the first sound I'd heard from Harry in at least an hour. _Boys._

            Dumbledore announced the Ball to the school that night at the feast. Like the Yule Ball, it would only be attended by 4th Years and above. It would take place on Halloween night, after the Feast. Dumbledore also added something else:

            "In hope of keeping up relations, we will also be inviting delegates from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, who all above first year will remember. We have already received confirmation that the two competitors from those schools that participated in the Tri-Wizard Tournament will be attending"

            _What?_

"Viktor can't come," I hissed at Harry and Ron. They looked at me, puzzled.

            "Why not" Ron asked.

            "He's almost nineteen, he was in his final year at Durmstrang last year"

            "He's coaching Quidditch there when he's not busy with the Bulgarian team" Ron said off-handedly.

            _What? Why hadn't he told me this? Didn't we promise to owl each other?_

When Dumbledore had made all the announcements and we had all eaten, we stood up to go. Everyone was exhausted. Katie Bell walked over to us.

            "Hey guys. I'm a Prefect this year" she said with a grin.

            _I had a poster of your boyfriend on my wall. I think he's sex on legs._

"Anyway, the password's "dress robes", in spirit of the Ball" she said and then ambled off.

            At that moment I decided to stick to boys my own age. _Easier to tell if they're attached._

When we entered the Gryffindor common room, Harry immediately slinked off to the boy's dorm. I needed to wind down a bit.

            "Hey "Ron, fancy a game of chess?" I asked him. He looked at me like it was a strange request, but sat down at the table.

            After about half an hour, the common room was almost empty. Fred and George, the last people in the room, came over to us.

            "We're going to bed. You two going to crash soon?" George asked.

            "Got to finish the game" Ron muttered as I stifled a yawn. They looked at us like we were crazy but went up the stairs.

            Within five minutes, the game was over, with Ron winning. We got up to go to bed. At the foot of the stairs, Ron stopped me.

            "Hey Ninny, where'd you get that necklace?"

A/N All reviewers get a kiss from Oliver! Well, that's a lie but I invite you to spend copious amounts of time imagining it ;) 


	12. Things Get Hot

            Disclaimer: I am only playing with these characters; they actually belong to J.K Rowling.

            A/N I have no idea what happened to this when I uploaded! I didn't even check it (silly me) and didn't realise something was wrong until I read my reviews. I hope all is good now J

I was caught completely off-guard, but I didn't think it was a good time to recount my last week to Ron. 

            "Oh nowhere. G'night" I muttered and mounted the stairs. But I could feel his eyes on my back.

Horror of all horrors, our first lesson of the year was Potions with Professor Snape and the Slytherins. Apparently the owl from Harry and I had convinced Ron to do the essay but after reading through it, I determined that Snape would have him do it again.

            As we were scribbling down notes in class, a piece of parchment fluttered over to me from Ron's direction (Snape had separated the three of us already. I was stuck next to Neville, keeping my new set of scales as far away from him as possible). With a covert glance around, I unfolded the parchment. It said:

_'So where did you get that necklace?' _In Ron's messy scrawl.

            _Why don't I want to tell him?_

_            'Why do you care?' _I wrote back and sent it in his direction. He frowned when he read it and started writing back in a furious manner, and then sent it back to me.

            _'I was wondering who would buy you such an expensive present'_

_            Nosy bugger._

My message back said '_How do you know it wasn't my parents?' _But unfortunately the message never reached Ron. Snape swooped down on it when it was halfway there, snatching it from the air and reading it with a sneer. He cleared his throat.

            "Mr Weasley, could you please discuss your petty jealousy of Miss Granger's boyfriend with her _outside _of class? 20 points from Gryffindor".

            The Slytherins started sniggering at us, lead by Draco Malfoy. _So much for avoiding losing points first thing in the year. _I glared at Ron, whose skin tone was matching his hair at that moment (not a good look).

            I didn't speak to Ron all day until we'd finished our dinner. I kept my head down and wrote notes during classes, and addressed only Harry when we were in the corridors. After I had sat through dinner in the Great Hall listening to the two boys talk Quidditch, and we had got up to go back to the Gryffindor tower, I turned to Ron.

            "_Why _did you send that note?" I hissed. Harry wasn't listening; someone had just run up to talk to him. I glanced at them and it was Cho Chang. 

            "Hey Harry. Seen the new Firebolt?"

            "No, I haven't"

            "My parents got me one over the holidays"

            "I better watch out then," he said with a sly grin.

            "Well, you're welcome to ride my broom any time" _Has she no shame?!_

"Uh…thanks". His face was glowing. My eyes narrowed.

            "_That's _why" Ron said to me pointedly. My head snapped back to him/

            "What? What are you talking about?" 

            "I can't think of many people in the wizarding world rich enough to buy you that necklace on a whim"

            We had started walking quickly. I think in our tempers we were trying to stride faster than each other.

            "It's not that expensive! Anyway, why are you so certain it's not a present from my parents?" I demanded, almost out of breath. We had left Harry long behind.

            "Those necklaces cost about 50 Galleons. And I never said it wasn't from your parents. But if it was, why wouldn't you say so straight away?"

            "Dress robes" I snapped at the Fat Lady, who looed offended, but swung open anyway. We had reached the common room. A couple of First Years, seeing us, scampered upstairs.

            "I didn't say anything because it's none of your business!" I shouted.

            "_What's _none of my business?" he asked with a smirk.

            "It was from Harry, okay?" I growled.

            "Parents my arse," he muttered under his breath. I glowered at him.

            "What did you say?" 

He glared right back at me

"I _knew _there was something going on between you two!" he exclaimed. 

"You have no idea what you're talking about Ron. I'm a friend to Harry the same way you are!" _I bloody hope not, otherwise they both have something to tell me. _

Really? He's never given _me _a necklace," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"This. Necklace. Is a thankyou present...For letting him stay." I wanted to do something very violent at that moment; I was lucky I didn't have my wand on me. The door swung open, to reveal Harry, who stepped in. 

"Hey guys. What are you talking about?" he asked with a wide grin, apparently oblivious to our grim faces and tense bodies.

"We were just talking about your gift to Hermione" Ron muttered. Harry looked confused.

"Ok. Okay".

Ron looked at Harry deviously.

"Tell me Harry, did Hermione give you anything in return?" 

Harry was puzzled again.

"Actually, Hermione had already given me my present" he said with a smile.

Ron rolled his eyes and let out his breath with a long sigh. Wheeling himself around, he muttered:

"Right. You two have fun. I'm sure you will. I'm going to bed" then stomped up the stairs to his dorm. Harry looked at me.

"Know what that was all about?"

"Oh Harry, I don't think you made things any better. He thinks we're dating or something".

"Great, another one. Hey, _he's _the one going to the Halloween Ball with you" he said bitterly.

"Do you mind about that? I know you said you'd ask me if there was one…but were you joking? He _did _ask first. Not that I'm too keen to go with him now…"

"I was dead serious Hermy. You should walk like a Veela all the time" he said with a laugh. "Anyway, I might ask Cho Chang. I could have half a chance this year"

"That's a bit insensitive isn't it? About as insensitive as her flirting outrageously with you a few year after Cedric's death I 'spose"

" 'Flirting outrageously'? You're one to talk, Hermy" he said, then spun on his heel and headed towards the bathroom, probably to take a shower.

I sank down into a nearby high-backed chair, pondering his last comment.

_Am I a flirt? Either way, I have a nice way of screwing things up with boys…_

A/N Please review! As my readers who know me in real life are aware, them and I have some major school tests coming up (10% of our final mark for the year), in only a week and we all need to do some major study. So I apologise if I don't update for 2 weeks or so, but please know that I have a good reason.


	13. Oh Crap

            Disclaimer: Characters you recognise are the creation of J.K Rowling, just my version.

As soon as I woke up the next morning, I groaned, remembering the events of the night before. It was bad enough with Diane, my parents and Oliver thinking we were dating, but our best friend? Sure I had become attracted to Harry over that week, but there was no reason to believe the feeling was mutual…_he might flirt with everyone. _But whatever was going on, we certainly weren't dating.

As I passed through the common room on my way to breakfast, I heard someone calling my name.

            "Hermione!" It was Harry, on one of the red leather couches. I wandered over to him.

            "What is it?" I asked. I was starving.

            "Do you mind if I show Ron your present?" he asked.

            "No, I don't mind, but why?"

            "I think I realize what Ron misunderstood last night", he said with a grin, "so I thought I might clarify your "gift"".

            I smiled.

            "Sounds like a good idea. You had breakfast?"

            "Nope".

            "Good. Let's go. I'm ravenous".

            "Wonder if the house elves can live up to my toast?" he said with a wistful look, as the Fat Lady swung closed behind us.

Ron's face adopted a stormy expression when we entered the Great Hall, me in hysterics over a crack Harry had just made about Snape's hair. We sat down across from him (Ron that is, not Snape) and got our food. Harry cleared his throat.

            "I've got to show you something later Ron" Harry said with a hesitant glance.

            "Whatever" Ron muttered and began talking to Fred and Alicia next to him. I shot Harry a concerned look. As much as I valued my own friendship with Ron, the one thing I was most worried about was coming between the two boys. Harry returned a comforting look.

            "It'll be alright," he mouthed.

            Throughout the lessons of the day, Ron remained cold and silent. At lunch he sat with Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan, which was nice, because he always struck me as a homophobe…_maybe he doesn't __realise__?_

            After classes, everyone headed towards their respective towers. Ron shot straight towards the dorm. Harry glanced at me and ran up the stairs after him. I crossed my fingers.

            Five minutes passed. _I wonder what's going on in there? I wish I knew a spell to spy on them. _Ten minutes passed. _At least there's been no yells or screams. _Seventeen minutes passed. _Maybe Ron found something in common with Dean and Seamus…and Harry's got that 'flirty' personality…_After eighteen minutes, I heard footsteps on the stairs. Ron's ratty old trainers came into view, then the rest of his body, his shoulders hunched and eyes downcast. He was followed by a jubilant Harry, who went off to talk to George.

            Ron looked up to find me and walked over. He plonked down next to me on the same couch that Harry had been sitting on that morning. He looked into my eyes.

            "I'm sorry Hermione". _Ron apologising is so weird. He looks like a red-haired puppy. _"Harry's cleared up a few things for me". He blushed. I smiled, not wanting to interrupt him. "I spose you don't want to go to the ball with an idiot like me anymore".

            _True, you can be a stubborn, self-righteous bastard, but it was a pretty heated argument, both of us were carried away… and how can I resist when you're looking at me with that pout and those big eyes? I want to scratch behind your ears…okay that was weird. Anyway, it's one night, not the rest of our lives._

"I'd love to go to the ball with an idiot like you. But no more stupid insinuations about Harry and I, okay? We're all _friends_, that's all!" I smirked. His face contorted to some indistinct expression, and then he smiled again.

            "Okay Ninny".

            At dinner we were the happy trio once again, with Ron imitating Professor Trelawny, and Harry and I laughing until milk came out of Harry's nose, at which point we were all basically rolling on the floor laughing.

            "Mr Potter". We all gulped. That was Snape's voice behind us. No one dared turn around. "Five points from Gryffindor for your crudeness".

            Angelina, sitting across from us, giggled. We turned around, to see Fred with a triumphant smile on his face.

            "Nice to see you three smiling again" he said, and then set himself down next to Ron. We were still gaping at him when bloody Cho Chang came up and brushed Harry's arm seductively. The three of us snapped pur heads in her direction, Harry's going crimson. She sat down next to him, he thigh pressed against his. _No respect for personal space._

"H-hi Ch-Cho" he stuttered.

            "Hi Harry. Do you mind if I sit here?" she asked. I wouldn't have been surprised if she had kept on going with that subtlety and winked…or shoved her hand down his pants.

            "N-n-n-n-no" he said. _Since when does he have a speaking disorder?_

            "Good. I just wanted to make sure you hadn't forgot my offer" she said with a coy smile. Only the knowledge that Ron would be suspicious if I did kept me from lunging across the table and slapping her, or him. Instead we all finished our respective meals in silence. When she was done, Cho once again brushed his arm.

            "See you round Harry" she whispered and walked away. _Nice of her to acknowledge anyone _else's _presence._

I told the boys that I needed to use the loo and went for a walk to let off some steam. I was kind of afraid of running into someone like Snape, or Filch, but it wasn't actually late, students were still having dinner, so I wasn't breaking the rules. Still, you don't want to run into either of them in a dark corridor.

            As I passed Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, I heard voices inside. This was strange, as students had been banned from entering since our second year. Also, the voices sounded familiar. I opened to door a crack, silently, and peeked in. Cho Chang was sitting on a basin, talking to her two friends and Quidditch teammates, Elissa Ford and Tara Burr. None of them could see me.

            "But Cho, don't you think it's a bit, you know, wrong?" Tara was asking her.

            Cho looked confused.

            "No, why?"

            Elissa exchanged a look with Tara.

            "Because you've got a boyfriend…"

            Cho smiled.

            "Well, he's not here. I need _something _to keep me entertained; otherwise I'll go out of my mind. And think of all the benefits I could reap from our little Harry".

            _Oh crap._

A/N Please review! I'm only a week into exams (but I've got 4 out 5 down! Yay!) But I decided to write this because it was Friday and I had nothing to do. Anyway, exams have frazzled my brain, I've been forgetting so much, so if this is crap, just give us a yell, I might re-write or something…


	14. Harpies and Hot Boys

Disclaimer: I'm only playing with the characters of J.K Rowling.

A/N Ah beautiful reviewers! I have a few things to reply to:

Chocolat Elf: I think the reason why people portray Cho as a bitch is because of the way she rejected Our Harry by going out with Cedric. I'd just like to tell everyone that I have the utmost respect and affection for bad girls, as they are the most fun ones to read about and write!

KaranteKitty: I can't tell you who Hermione ends up with, I don't know. Maybe neither of them will end up with her and she'll live in a "Far From Heaven" style marriage with Seamus!

I avoided being alone with Harry for the next few days. I knew that if we were on our own, I would spurt it out somehow, and Harry, being completely naïve when it came to Ms Chang, would think I was lying in some sort of jealous girlfriend way. But when (if) he found out that she had a boyfriend, he would probably know I'd lied (A lie of omission is still a lie…)

            Plagued by guilt, I kept my mouth shut and tried to dig my head in a book whenever Ron wasn't around to distract Harry.

            On our first Hogsmeade weekend, Harry pulled me into the Three Broomsticks while Ron went to Honeydukes. I tried to protest, but he insisted, pulling me inside and ordering two Butterbeers. We took a table. 

            "What is it Harry?" I asked as I took a sip of Butterbeer. The warmth spread through my body.

            "I have to talk to you about something really important" he said and took a huge gulp of his drink. _Reeeally don't want to be here…_He looked at me with a worried face.

            "What am I going to do Hermy? Sirius said he'd be here when I came back. Where is he? Why can't I have a normal godfather? Why does he have to do all this espionage stuff? He keeps putting himself in danger, and he's the only one I have left…" he drifted off, his eyes downcast. I grasped his hand across the table.

            "You have us," I said, trying to look into his eyes. He raised his head, his green eyes piercing my heart.

            "Do I? Do I have you, Hermione? I haven't even been able to talk to you alone for the last few days. I hope it's not because of the Ron thing"

            I laughed awkwardly.

            "Ron's an idiot if he thinks there's anything going on between us".

            Bad, bad timing. A few seconds after Ron had spotted us from the door and started walking over, Harry withdrew his hand from mine, hurt. And Ron had seen. By the time he had reached us, his jaw was jutting out. He addressed me coldly:

            "Ready to go look for robes, Hermione?"

            I blushed furiously. _Idiot, idiot for getting yourself in situations like these. Why couldn't you just have female friends? Stupid puberty. Stupid hormones. Stupid testosterone…_

I glanced at Harry sympathetically.

            "Sure Ron, let's go" I muttered and got up from the table.

            Cho walked over (_is she everywhere?_) and directed her focus to Ron and I.

            "You two leaving poor Harry by himself? He's lucky I'm here to keep him company," she said, shooting Harry the most sinful smile I'd ever seen. I glared at her as he smiled back. She sat down and looked back and Ron and I dismissively.

            "See ya," she said in a falsely sweet voice.

            "Bye", Ron muttered. I simply walked out the door. _Bloody harpy. Why does Harry have to be such an idiot when it comes to women?_

Ron and I were shopping for robes together. I knew if left to his own devices, he'd buy something that clashed horribly with my dress (yes, I'd decided to wear a dress instead of robes this year). Luckily his brothers had given him enough money to buy a decent set this year with Harry's winning from the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

            I had seen some gorgeous dresses in the Muggle magazines over the holidays and had some ideas in my head when we arrived at the robes shop. After all, I actually _had _a figure now; there was no need to hide it under robes.

            I talked to the owner, Madame Pularche, about my idea. We agreed on a black fitted silk bodice and voluminous sleeves and skirt, to give it a robe-ish look. I was pleased to hear that some of the older girls had also been requesting dresses.  I didn't want to get I trouble if I was the only one.

            Madame Pularche, Ron and I agreed that basic black robes for him would be good as they would match my dress and he'd be able to keep using them. She took our measurements and instructed us to pick up our garments in two weeks. We had six weeks until the Ball.

            Ron seemed keen to lead me anywhere but back to the Three Broomsticks. We entered Quidditch shops, bookstores, ice-cream parlours and clothes shops before I tugged him to the tavern, at which point he fell silent. When we entered the door, Cho happened to look up, and seeing us, stood up and whispered her goodbye to Harry.

            "She was eager to get away from us," I muttered as I sat down. Harry appeared to ignore me, which was probably for the best.

            "Did you ask her to the Ball?" Ron asked, although he didn't seem terribly interested.

            "Yeah, but she's already got a date"

            "Who?" I asked. Maybe she'd told him herself about the boyfriend?

            "She didn't say specifically. Said he was no-one special, a guy in her year who happened to ask her first" Harry said.

            _This can't be the boyfriend. She said he wasn't 'here'. How many guys does this woman have scattered around?_

"So she just goes with the first person who asks her?" I said scornfully. Harry and Ron looked at me with blank expressions, and then Harry broke into hysterical laughter.

            "Hermy! You bloody hypocrite!" he yelled. I blushed, realising what he meant and then grinned at Ron. He rolled his eyes.

            "So Harry, who _are _you going to go with?" I asked. _Time to get the attention off me._

"I dunno. Definitely not another Parvati," he said, looking out the window, "I might just stag it".

A/N Please review! I've started the next chapter so it should be up soon!

Ooh, big typo mistake, I typed, "I hope it's because of the Ron thing" instead of "I hope it's not because of the Ron thing" Sorry! All fixed now


	15. Helen?

Disclaimer: The characters be J.K Rowling's!

A/N: You know, I'm really starting to favor this Seamus idea…I'm a fan of Greek tragedy, it'll be like a modern version…instead of the hero dying at the end, she ends up married to a homosexual! Okay, just joking, she'll end up with one of them, but I don't know which one yet.

            A week later, we were sitting in the common room. Ron and I were playing chess and Harry was working on a Potions essay that Snape had given him while in a particularly vindictive mood.

            "Check" Ron said. I glanced at the board and I was indeed in check. I had been distracted by how lovely Harry looked, his hair mussed, writing furiously, his feet fidgety under the table…I fixed the position of my king so I was no longer in check.

            Ron was pondering the board when a brown owl flew in the open window, landing on Harry's table with a hoot. Harry looked up with a light in his eyes, either delighted for a distraction or hoping it was a letter from his godfather. He took the parchment from the bird and gave it an absent-minded pat while reading. When he finished, he looked up with a smile.

            "Looks like I've got a date for the Ball" he said.

            I was puzzled.

            "Who?"

            He nodded at the parchment, now lying on the table.

            "Fleur Delacour. She's coming over for the Ball, wanted to know if I'd go with her, if…" he drifted off, going red.

            "If what?" Ron asked. Harry shook his head.

            "It was nothing. I better write back to her", he said and pulled out a fresh piece of parchment.

            "Don't forget your essay", I muttered as I looked back to the chess game. He looked up at me.

            "How could I, with you around to remind me?"

            _O-kay….._

Ron won the match, inevitably. I couldn't get that playful, yet slightly malicious look in Harry's eyes when he asked, "how could I?" out of my head. After Ron had left the common room, I sat next to Harry at his table.

            "So what was the "nothing" in Fleur's letter?" I asked, attempting to sound casual. He looked at me.

            "Distracting me from my essay, Hermy?" he said mischievously. _Note to self: don't sit so close to boys with amazing eyes._

"Uh, um, nooo…" _Since when did **I **have a speech disorder?_

            "To answer your incredibly subtle question, it said, "if you are not going with your pretty friend…Helen?" I'll make sure she knows your name by Ball time" he added with a wink.

            "Oh" I said simply. Even Fleur Delacour thought we'd be dating!

            "See you tomorrow" I said and climbed the stairs, leaving him to his essay.

            Pressure began to build up from every direction, and I found I didn't even need to worry about telling Harry, because we were both so busy. No only was everyone above 4th Year swept up in Ball preparations, but our teachers began piling on the work, reminding us every five minutes "You've got your O.W.Ls in eight months Fifth Year".  Plus, Harry was filling every spare moment with Quidditch practise. Ron and I barely had the extra time to pick up our clothes from Madame Pularche's, and I had to resist trying on my dress every time I saw it in the cupboard.

            Ball gossip was rife. Ginny, although she could go with whomever she liked now she was in 4th Year, was once again going with Neville (who was teased by the Weasely brothers for his taste in "younger women"), even though she had got her feet trodden all over the past year. Dean and Seamus were not going together (preferring to stay right in that closet), and were going with Lavender and Parvati, who were happy to have dates that dressed snappily and could dance. Oliver Wood's fame worked to his advantage, because he was allowed to come as Katie's date even though he was no longer a student. Dumbledore referred to his as a "special guest". Fred and George were going with Angelina and Alicia respectively. It was a wonder if the girls even knew any boys outside the Quidditch team…Harry had told Cho about his date, and apparently she was pleased.

            One morning in the Great Hall, an owl dropped a thick brown envelope next to my plate. I found this quite unusual, as my parents were rather awkward with the Owl Post, using it only for special occasions and emergencies. My curiosity provoked, I tore open the brown paper, and was greeted by an issue of _Witch Weekly, _with Harry's smiling face on the cover. I was pondering the possibility of Harry making an agreement with the press not to hassle him until he finished school, Prince William style, when Ron clicked his fingers in my face. I scowled at him.

            "What's in the package?" he asked.

            "I haven't looked at it properly. Give us a minute, Mr Nosey," I snapped. He put his hands up in a defensive gesture. 

            "Okay, okay".

            I read the headline. "Boy Wizard Dating French Veela Vixen". **_Half_**_-Veela. _I rolled my eyes and grunted in disgust. Flipping to the article, I scanned it quickly…"stolen his heart"…"incredible good looks"…"Halloween Ball"…_blah blah blah…wait! _"Mr Potter has turned into quite the ladies man. After his much-publicised liaison with Hermione Granger last year, his affections have turned to older women, including not only Ms Delacour, but Cho Chang, a pretty 6th Year at Hogwarts, who says: "Harry and I spend a lot of time together, he's a special friend of mine, and quite cute too!" Perhaps a "special friend" like Granger was once to Potter? That ball should be an explosive one, make sure you keep an eye on _Witch Weekly_ for full coverage!" _Oh my god, the wench! _I stormed over to the Ravenclaw table and slammed the article down in front of Cho.

            "What the _hell _did you think you were doing?"

A/N Please review! New chapter up soon! I love holidays!


	16. Dance With Me

Disclaimer: The characters are J.K Rowlings.

A/N Thanks again for the reviews! The Ball's not far now, bloody hell I want to write but can't rush things!

"_Excuse _me?" she glared up at me. I pointed at the article.

                "If you cared for Harry _whatsoever, _you wouldn't go blabbing to the press about him!" I shouted. Harry and Ron had followed me over and were standing behind me. I didn't care. Cho was reading the article, staring up at me menacingly every few seconds. Her friends were chattering confusedly. Finally Cho finished and looked up at me with a defiant expression.

                "I didn't know she was a reporter. Anyway, aren't you going to the Ball with _him_?" she asked, nodding in Ron's direction.

                "Yes" I said. She scowled.

                "Then what right do you have to come ranting over here like Harry's jealous girlfriend?"

                I tried to swallow my anger, but I still had a lump in my throat as I spat out:

                "I'm still friends with Harry and I don't want trash like you spoiling his reputation".

                Cho looked shocked but didn't have a chance to reply, as I saw the Ravenclaw head teacher approaching, snatched up the magazine, and made a hasty retreat back to the Gryffindor table, throwing one last glare at Cho over my shoulder.

                "What was that all about?" Harry hissed at me when we sat down. I really didn't want to talk to him about it, so I tossed the magazine to him across the table. He read the article, flushing red in the face. Ron, curious, examined it over his shoulder.

                "So why were you trying to scratch Cho's eyes out over there?" he asked when he was finished.

                "Well, after the whole Rita Skeeter debacle last year, I don't think if she was your 'special friend' she'd be telling tales about you to the press! And…" _Now would be the perfect time to tell him about the boyfriend. But it would be too easy!_

"Look, Hermione, don't take your frustrations about what the article says about you out on her. She _said _she didn't know it was a reporter, and I believe her".

                "That's because she's got you wrapped around her little finger!"

                "Why don't you act a bit _more _envious, Hermione?" he asked spitefully.

                Ron, although obviously unsettled about where the conversation was going, laughed awkwardly.

                "Alright, cool it you two. Harry, fighting with Hermione is my job. We have to get going to Herbology".

                It seemed we both glared at Ron, but stood up. _Who cares if I'm acting jealous? _If Harry couldn't see that I fancied him, he was stupid…wait, already stated that he was an _idiot _when it came to women. I didn't know whether to snog him or slap him. Actually, the same went for Ron…_Oh confused, very confused…_

It was two weeks until the Ball, and I was trying to teach Ron how to dance so he didn't make an absolute fool of me. He actually had quite a good natural rhythm but had never given himself a chance to learn properly, and therefore didn't even know a basic waltz, whereas I has taken lessons up until going to Hogwarts. We were doing lessons in an empty classroom with Ginny and Neville, as well as a few other couples from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Obviously the Slytherins were too proud, but I don't think anyone would have wanted them there anyway. Draco Malfoy did make an effort, however, of dragging along Crabbe and Goyle to snigger at us from the doorway, until Professor McGonagall gave them a blasting. The night of my own blasting (of Cho), we were practising our foxtrot. Ron had me halfway through a dip when a knick came at the door. It was Harry, waving at us. We wandered over.

                "What's going on?" I asked. I'd cooled down about the Cho thing (well, the 'talking to the press' thing anyway, not the whole 'having a boyfriend'), but I wasn't sure if he had.

                "Ron, do you mind if I borrow Hermione? I really need to learn some moves before Fleur turns up and you two seem to have it down pat…" he looked at Ron hopefully. I looked at Ron also. It was true; we didn't really need the lessons anymore. He looked a little disgruntled, but smiled at Harry.

                "Yeah sure man, you can probably take my place from now on, if you reckon you can learn that fast".

                Harry grinned at him.

                "Thanks, I really need this".

                "Well, you should start now then, _I _have some Divination to do" Ron smirked.

                "Well, don't give your imagination too much of a workout" I called as he left the room. It was a well-known fact that both of the boys made up almost all of their Divination, much to the chagrin of Lavender and Parvati.

                Harry turned to me, slid his arm around my waist (_mmm_) and grabbed my other hand. His face inches from mine, he smirked and said:

                "I don't know whether Ron should be worried or not"

                "And why's that?"

                His voice dropped to an extremely low and sexy tone.

                "Because I'm a _very _fast learner".

A/N Happy Easter everybody! If you want to give me a present, you know where to go * cough submit review button! cough *


	17. Score One: Hermione

            Disclaimer: If you recognise it from the book, J.K Rowling made it.

            A/N Bit torn, Chocolat Elf? Seriously, I'm happy people think of Harry as …sexy or whatever, cause that means I can write. I would be able to write Oliver as sexy, cause, well, he is (at least, movie Oliver. He's just a big ol' jock in the books!) but I'm not the least attracted to the character/looks of Harry so it was a bit of a challenge, and a fun one! So I really appreciate your reviews for the last chapter. On with the story!

Harry certainly was a fast learner. Even though he also had Quidditch, within a week we had passed the waltz and the samba, and were about to start on the tango. I put a hand around his neck.

            "So you're seriously not mad at me for going off at Cho?" I asked. We only really got to talk during dance practise these days.

            "Nope. I think I understand why you did it"

            "Oh? And why _did _I do it, Professor?" I asked with a smirk.

            "Because you care for me. Not only as a friend…but in a sisterly sort of way" he said with a smile.

            _Ha!_

"_Really?_" I asked as the music to 'Roxanne' started up. It had taken me nearly three days to learn the spell to enchant the record player to play Muggle music, and 'Roxanne' had featured on one of my favourite movies, _Moulin Rouge. _Harry smiled whenever he heard the song, obviously remembering how I had virtually pinned him to the couch trying to get him to watch it over the holidays. At least, that what _I _was remembering, sitting on his lap for half the movie.

            "So, would a _sister _do this?" I asked, and pressed my body against his, so our entire torsoes down to our hips were against each other. He had played on the innuendoes for the last week and I had just giggled and blushed like a simpering idiot. It was time to p the stakes, and, needless to say, I was glad the classroom was empty that night. And guess who was blushing now?

            "You know Hermione, I think novices are meant to use the _open _embrace," he said, our noses almost touching. I had to smile as I turned my head to whisper in his ear.

            "Don't worry, I'm _no _beginner_"._

_            Score one: Hermione._

The night before the ball, we were doing homework in the common room, and Harry was furiously writing owls. Fleur was staying in Hogsmeade, and had sent Harry and owl ranting about the _Witch Weekly _article, which she had found in Diagon Alley, and how much she was looking forward to the following night. She had also mentioned that Viktor was staying at Hogsmeade, so I went up to the Owlery with a quickly "hello" note to him, remembering the night of the tango and how great it had felt. There had been no more sauciness as Harry had insisted on the open embrace (bodies not really touching) out of "concern for my toes" although I would have been quite happy to sacrifice them. Maybe this was how Ginny felt?

            After Harry had sent off his reply, he realised that Sirius would not have even known about the Ball, and sent him a note with Hedwig. The bird returned with nothing, meaning that the note had been delivered but no reply was sent. Harry was extremely distressed by this, all of us were, but, trying to be the voice of reason, I suggested to him that maybe it was just too dangerous to send notes by Hedwig, and that perhaps he should try again with a more inconspicuous school owl. Harry agreed but by that time it was too late to be sending owls.

            Because of the distractions, all three of us were stuck in an empty roo, at 11pm, still slaving away. The general muttered consensus was that O.W.Ls were evil and that we wished we could stay in 1st Year forever. After a long silent period, Ron cleared his throat.

            "So how did your dance lessons go?" he asked without looking up.

            Harry, next to me, shot me a conspiratorial look, which I smiled at.

            "Excellent. You want to see the results?" he asked wit a grin. I shot him a glance and Ron looked up at him.  

            "Alright…"

            Harry grabbed me by the hand and led me to the clear space in the centre of the room. I really did not want to be doing this in front of Ron, who I had to keep reminding myself was my actual date for the Ball.

            "I hope you don't plan on music, everyone's asleep," Ron said as he swung his chair around to watch.

Harry grinned.

"That's fine, Hermy and I are just fine unaccompanied".

Ron's eyebrows rose in a dubious expression.

Harry's arm slid around my waist to my back and his hand clasped mine. My other hand went to his shoulder, near his neck. I had grown to love the intimacy of the pose over the last two weeks, but this time his hand slid _slightly _lower than usual right into the small of my back, and he pressed his cheek against mine.

"Ready to waltz?" was his whispered question.

"We can't waltz properly this close" I replied.

"Oh, what a shame" was his statement as he drew back to a just-appropriate length away. We started the waltz.

Ron, visibly puzzled as to our exchange, which I was sure he hadn't heard, followed us with his eyes as we circled the room twice. Harry seemed quite happy to go on, but I stopped outright, causing him to bump in to me, glaring. I was sick of the exhibitionism. Ron gave a slow clap.

"Nice work, although personally I think Ninny and _I_ are better together" he said, and gathered his books.

"I'm stuffed, I'm going to bed. You coming Harry?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'll be up in a sec, just gotta get my stuff together" he said with a smile at Ron, who climbed the stair to the boys dorm. I ensured he was out of earshot and hurried over to Harry.

"What do you think you're doing?" I demanded.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, mock-innocently.

"Are you _trying _to make him jealous?"

"Hermione, Ron's an idiot if he thinks there's anything going on between us," he said in a feminine voice, before turning his back and stomping up the stairs haughtily. The voice had sounded suspiciously like my own.

A/N Ooo-er, think Harry's a little peeved? Please review!


	18. Halloween Ball Part 1

            Disclaimer: Characters names belong to J.K Rowling, and other Hogwarts-related stuff also.

            A/N This sucks, basically the worst thing that could happen did: I got to the chapter that I've been anticipating (and you guys also, probably) and got a case of writers block. Obviously I knew stuff that I wanted to happen there, but I had such a time trying to start this chapter. Anyway, the Ball with be in three parts probably, two at least. This is the first part and yes, I recognize that not a lot happens but I'm trying to keep my chapters at (generally) the same length. Don't worry; next chapter will make up for it. Oh, and I realised I've got a bit of a continuity mistake. Before you go hunting for it, I realised last night while re-reading old chapters (the benefits of writing it out first!) that when Ron first told them about the Ball, he said it was fancy dress. Obviously I have ignored that in later chapters so I will try and go back and fix that detail at some stage. Let that be a lesson to my fellow writers on the virtue of re-reading your own material! And after that looong intro, on with the show.

            Harry spent the next day being all chummy and flirty with me, pretending that nothing happened, as boys often do. I didn't return the favour. I couldn't help but feel, after his final comment last night that he was not only toying with me and my emotions, but Ron's also. I asked him a simple question and he gave me a completely cryptic answer. As if I wasn't already confused enough!

            I was, however, in pretty good spirits by the time the Feast came around. It was held at 5:30pm, to aloe Ball attendees time to get ready for a 7:30pm start. All my Professors for that day had been in a good mood (except Snape, of course). While I'm all for a little hard work and knowledge, I was glad not to have received homework for that night (Snape did not give any because our work "would simply be more atrocious than usual" and it would be a waste of his time to mark. Ron suggested that he was planning to spike his own drink that night and didn't want to mark with a hangover, the thought of which scared me).

            Viktor and Fleur did not appear at the Feast. At about 6pm, an owl flew into the Great Hall and landed in front of Dumbledore. He took the parchment and read it, then stood up to address the school.

            "It has come to my attention that two of our special guests for tonight, Fleur Delacour and Viktor Krum, whom we were expecting for the Feast, will not be able to arrive until 7pm because of transport difficulties".

            Harry's suggestion that Viktor ride them there on his broom was begging me to make a dig at Fleur and her delicateness, but I thought it best not to insult her with her being Harry's date and all. 

            All the kids from 1st to 3rd Year look disappointed with the news. They had been looking forward to seeing the pair, especially big shot Viktor. As we left the Hall at about 6:30pm, I heard Draco Malfoy muttering behind me.

            "Krum just wants to make a big entrance, that's it". I glared at him. I didn't like to hear anyone speaking badly of Viktor.

            "What are you looking at, Granger?"

            I rolled my eyes and walked faster. I didn't want to get into it that night with the filthy ferret.

            The 5th Year girls' dormitory was in chaos when I entered, mainly because of Lavender and Parvati, whose brushes and undergarments and make up were strewn everywhere. I quietly grabbed my dress and slipped into it behind the curtain around my bed. I had been anticipating it for a long time and it was perfect: it fit like a glove where it should and draped into folds where I wanted it to. When I emerged from behind the curtain, Lavender (only half-dressed) gaped at me.

            "Hermione, you look gorgeous! How are you doing your hair, and makeup?"

            I gulped.

            "No makeup. I dunno how I'm doing my hair".

            Parvati ran over. 

            "I know the _perfect _thing for your hair" she squealed, and whipped out her wand.  _Did I say gulp yet?_

"I don't know if it's a good idea-" I started.

            "Nonsense. It's just a little charm to relax your curls," she chattered. My hair _was _pretty bushy. _Anyway, if she screws it up, I can always put it in a chignon or something._

She pointed her wand at my head dangerously and muttered the charm. Her face showed no change so I crept towards the mirror, hoping I hadn't ended up with the head of a boar or something. Upon inspection, I found my hair in wavy ringlets instead of its usual form. I grinned at her.

            "Thanks. Will it stay like this?" I asked.

            "Should last 'til the end of the night. You look great Hermione" she said and flounced off. _How weird._

            The "no makeup" thing was a bit of a lie. I slicked on some lip-gloss but was lucky enough to have no spots that night so I didn't use foundation. The final, hesitant, touch to the outfit was the necklace that Harry had given me, the pendant coloured red like it was on the day I had received it.

            Ron met me at the bottom of the stairs. He had a shine in his eyes as he watched me descend, and whispered "You look brilliant" in my ear when I met him. _Bit of a change from the way he looked at me like I was Voldemort last year just because I was looking good. _I just blushed, muttered, "Thanks, you look good too" (which was true) and took his hand as we made our way to the Great Hall, about 15 minutes early.

            "So where's Harry?" I asked.

            "Meeting Fleur I spose, he rushed off at 7 o'clock"

            "It's a wonder they're not here" I commented, indicating to the door of the Hall, which we had just arrived at. There were several other couples there from the four houses but no one we recognised, so we just stood apart from the others. There were a bunch of 1st Years sitting on a staircase nearby watching everyone. I felt sorry for them because that staircase had a tendency to shift and was likely to do it while they were on there, leaving them far from the Hall and if their luck was bad enough, right in front of Filch.

            I felt a tap on my shoulder and found Ginny grinning at me.

            Ginny! You look great!" I shouted, hugging her. Indeed she did, if not only because of her deep green robes that set off her red hair, but because of the sparkle in her eyes.  I eyed Neville, who was a bright shade of red in his black robes, suspiciously.

            "You kids _did _come straight to the Hall, didn't you?" I asked with a smirk.

            "Yes, why?" Ginny asked innocently.

            Ron, who had caught on with me, laughed along.

            "No reason" I answer.

            There was a huge crowd now in front of the Hall, perhaps ¾ of the people attending. I couldn't spot Harry and Fleur anywhere. The doors suddenly swung open, letting a stream of us inside. The first thing I noticed, before the lavish decorations of candles, glittering lights and all the rest, was Viktor Krum. And his date.

A/N Okay that's all for now! I regret to inform that this is the last day of my holidays and that I can't guarantee how quickly the next chapters will appear, but I will endeavour to get the rest of the Ball up A.S.A.P. If it doesn't go up during this week, it will on the weekend. Also, big thanks to reviewers! Mwah! Much love and keep up the good work ;)             


	19. Halloween Ball Part 2

            Disclaimer: Book characters belong to J.K Rowling. Don't think she'd ever write them the way I do….

            A/N Big thanks to reviewers! You're inspiring me! No, tarz, Harry isn't Viktor's date. You'll just have to wait and see! ;)

When I say that I saw his date, I mean that I recognised the back of his head (as many girls would) and realised his arm was around someone of the feminine persuasion, but I couldn't tell who she was from behind except that she had a petite (and very good!) body. I couldn't believe it. _No wonder he didn't reply to my owl last night, didn't want to reveal his mystery girlfriend. _It was _charming _to see how quickly he had gotten over me – they seemed pretty 'together' from the body contact. _Not only does he not bother to tell me about the job at Durmstrang, he doesn't have the nerve to tell me about his new (or was she new? Maybe he'd been seeing her the whole time!) girlfriend. _I was just about to storm over there and 'politely introduce' myself when I heard someone calling my name.

            "Hermione! Ron!" It was Harry, looking very smart in black dress robes, with Fleur on his arm looking gorgeous and only slightly less snooty and bored than the first time I'd set eyes on her. Was it something about the French or just this girl? Harry certainly seemed happy to have her, in a glamorous dress of shimmering ice blue and with shining silver hair, as his date. As we approached, the seemed to give me an appraising look. _Okay, awkward much?_

"Hello" I said with a smile, trying to be polite. Ron, at my side, greeted them and there were a few seconds of hellos. Fleur turned her attention to me.

            " 'Ermione, you chose a dress also. Zis is ze first time 'ou show style, since ze last ball" she said with a smile, like she had been paying me a compliment or something. I glared fiercely at her and Harry took charge.

            "Yes, Hermione does look very pretty tonight" he said with a grin, Ron's hands found their way around my waist and my glare turned to him. I did the only thing a girl could do in the situation-

            "I'm to go and get some punch" I announced, and stalked away. I did not want to deal with a girl who had just learnt my name, only to associate it with a girl who was daggy at all times except dances, nor did I want to deal with this bizarre triangle where Ron got possessive as soon as Harry paid me a compliment. People were just too weird sometimes.

            As I sipped punch,I once again spotted the rear of Viktor and his dark-haired partner. They seemed to lean in towards each other so naturally as they talked to Professor Flitwick, who was decked out in a ridiculous set of tartan robes. _I'd hate to think of how a conversation between he and Fleur would turn out…_Ron appeared at my shoulder.

            "Hermione, you alright?"

            "Yes, why?"

            "You've just drank five cups of punch, I've been keeping track. Did you leave because of what Fleur said, or me?" he asked with a concerned look.

            "Just keep your hands to yourself, Weasley" I muttered as I followed him to where Harry and Fleur had been joined by Dean, Lavender, Seamus and Parvati. The boys had gone for the 'top hat and tails' look, Dean in white and Seamus in black. Joining in on the fun, Lavender was in robes of black satin and Parvati in white, so each was the opposite of their partner. It created a striking effect, although it seemed that Fleur didn't know what to make of them. As if she didn't already grab _enough _attention, if anyone were to look at our group they would find Fleur to be the only one wearing an actual _colour. _I chose to ignore her and instead complimented the four on their outfits, which they soaked up. In a noisy moment when Fleur was actually being sociable enough to talk to Ron, I felt Harry's hand on my elbow and him pulling me slightly away from the group.

            "You're wearing the necklace I bought you," he said in a hushed tone.

            "Yeah, I am. Goes with my outfit, don'tcha think?" I said with an air of nonchalance.

            "Does that mean you forgive me? You were obviously mad about what I said the other night," he said, with a twinkle in his eye.

            "I do, on one condition," I said seriously.

            "What's that?"

            "From this moment on, be completely honest with me"

            His smile faded a bit.

            "Okay" he said, but didn't continue as I'd hoped he would. He simply led us to rejoin the group, where Ron seemed to be making puppy dog eyes at Fleur. Or perhaps he only resembled a dog because of the stream of drool coming out of his mouth?

            At that moment, the band, which had appeared without our notice (or perhaps had just Apparated), began playing a waltz. Ron smiled and took my hand, and we began dancing. It was quite fun, and when the song ended, everyone turned to the front of the Hall to clap the band. I spotted Viktor's head a few people away, so I grabbed Ron's hand and made my way over. Harry, near us, followed with Fleur. I tapped Viktor on the shoulder.

            "Hi!" I said warmly. _No need to be impolite. _His date was still turned around, but he grabbed her hand so she turned around.  

            "Hello Hermione. Allow me to introduce my date, Cho. Have you two met before?"

            I believe he said this because of the way we were ferociously staring at each other.

            "Oh yes, I know more about Cho than she thinks" I said through gritted teeth.

            Harry appeared to be in a state of shock/horror.

            "Cho, you said "some guy" asked you!" Harry said, on the verge of shouting.

            "Yes, Viktor did" she said in a calm, patronising tone.

            "You said he was in sixth year!"

            "Oh, did I? Silly me" she said, adding an infuriating little laugh.        

            Viktor seemed oblivious to everything, the idiot. He was in deep conversation with Fleur.

            "I didn't know you had a boyfriend" Harry said, very alarmed.

            "Oh, Viktor is hardly my _boyfriend_" she stated in a confidential tone.

            "Yes he is!" I interrupted, "I heard you! You were in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, talking to your two friends, about how your boyfriend "wasn't here" and how you were going to reap rewards from Harry!"  _There we go. Told. _Cho looked mortified.

            "Harry! Do you believe this? I would never say such a thing! She's just making it up because she's jealous that I'm here with Viktor! Do you really think I'd do that to you?"

            "Uh, um, err…" was Harry's _very articulate _response.

            "Well, out with it! Do you believe me or her?" She was looking very desperate at this stage, though defiant to the last. Harry rose up.

            "Actually, I believe Hermione"

A/N Aww, isn't Harry a good little boy, standing up to Cho? Give us a review and tell us what you think!


	20. Halloween Ball Part 3

            Disclaimer: Book characters belong to J.K Rowling, yada yada yada.

            A/N. Here it is, the big event. It's all been a prelude to this, you know. Thanks heaps reviewers (no! That isn't meant to mean that it's the final chapter, don't you worry).

Viktor turned around.

            "Cho, do you mind if I dance with Hermione?" he asked, stupid oblivious git. The music had been going the whole time. Cho, obviously trying to look good in front of her boyfriend, smiled and nodded.

            "Yeah, I'll dance with Cho," Harry added, "Ron, will you please dance with Fleur?"

            Ron was _so _obliging. How surprising. Viktor slipped his arm around my waist while Harry pulled Cho aside almost roughly. Hey, I felt no sympathy for her. 

            "I'm sorry I didn't send you an owl and tell you about Cho. I can't help but feel you are quite surprised?" Viktor half-asked.

            "Yes, quite surprised. And why didn't you tell me about the job at Durmstrang?" I asked him.

            "I'm so very sorry, I was incredibly busy," he said apologetically, and our slow dance fell silent. I could see Harry and Cho whispering heatedly over Viktor's shoulder, and Fleur tittering at something Ron had said while he looked at her in apparent lust. _Probably just happy to find someone who laughs at his lame jokes._

I was rather uncomfortable dancing with Viktor now, given that the trust factor of our former "friendship" was now completely missing on my side. So I was easily distracted from our shifty little dance by the sight of Harry storming out of the Hall. Cho stomped over and grabbed Viktor's arm.

            "Sweetie, would go you and get me some punch?" she asked him in a dismissive tone, and he obeyed.

            "I'll be taking my boyfriend back now. You've screwed things up for me, and if you think I won't fight back, you're sorely mistaken, you stupid little _mudblood_"

            I was taken aback, but managed a quick recovery.

            If you think I won't do everything in my power to keep you away from Harry, _you're _the one that's "sorely mistaken""

            "Ooh, catfight!" Fred Weasley (who was dancing close-by and had overheard the exchange) yelled.

            "Ten knuts on Hermione!" George yelled in response. I tried to ignore them and almost everyone nearby, watching us, as I continued.

            "Also, if you're going to use an insult on me, try to make it one that that idiot ferret Draco Malfoy _hasn't _used before, because it hurts a lot less the second time around". _There. Who was taken aback now? _Cho, gaping like a demented fish, huffed and puffed over to Viktor and dragged him out of the Hall. _There's that problem over. _

            My next, incredibly lesser problem was Ron. Hid dancing with Fleur had carried him over to the other side of the Hall, and was pretty sure they had missed my little showdown with Cho. I caught sight of them, Ron with an adoring look on his face that he'd _never _used on me. I stalked over to them and tapped him on the shoulder.

            "Cho's left, you know, so Harry could probably have his date back" I whispered. He glanced at me like I was a mosquito, not wanting to disturb Fleur in her apparent bliss.

            "Just 'til the end of this song". Fleur hardly warranted me a glimpse.

            "If you don't stop looking at her like that, _I'll _go dance with Harry". Time to use that jealousy to my advantage. Unfortunately, it didn't work; he only repeated his words with more force.

            _Just til the end of this song, _Hermione".

            _Fine. _I walked off, to find Harry, who had headed in the direction of the gardens outside. It amused me, in a quiet way, that a group of Hufflepuffs from the year above actually move out of my way as I headed out the door determinedly.

            I found Harry sitting on a ledge surrounding a rosebush. He looked at me but didn't say anything. I sat down next to him.

            "Why didn't you tell me? I've acted like an absolute idiot. The girl had a boyfriend! What was she trying to do, anyway?" he asked, not really expecting me to answer.

            "I honestly don't know. Anyway, would you have believed me if I'd told you?" I asked with a smile. He returned it.

            "No, probably not. I'm sorry".

            I stood up abruptly.

            "Make it up to me. Dance with me" I said with a grin.

            "Hermione, I'm not really in the mood…" he protested. I turned my back on him dramatically, folding my arms.

            "Fine, if you won't tango with me, you're not forgiven"

            After a few seconds I felt his arm around my waist and his mouth next to my ear.

            "Shall we tango out here, or inside?" was his whispered proposition. I turned my head to face his.

            "We better go inside, wouldn't want you getting any ideas".

            I could have sworn I heard him mutter "Too late" under his breath, but for the sake of my mental health, chose to ignore it.

            Ron hardly saw us enter the Hall, so wrapped up was he in his dance with Fleur (and certainly past _one more song_). I directed Harry away from Ron, over to the other side of the room, near Dean and Lavender. In a spot of perfect timing, the band started a slow, teasing tune. We immediately fell into the embrace (closed, this time) and Lavender gave me a quiet, knowing smile. Harry leaned me backwards, and then swung my body back towards him as the pace suddenly picked up. I felt he should have had a rose in his mouth or something as the sultry dance began. I could see around me the rest of the hall, doing their clumsy spins and turns, but I was in my own little world with Harry. It was a dance of practiced perfection, but none of the emotions were fake. I could feel something in me stirring; my feelings for Harry had been heightened from a stupid crush, and from our dancing I could tell he felt the same. Not once did our eye contact break, as our feet stomped and hips grinded and arms roamed. But slowly, as the song winded down, the walls between our world and the real world broke down. I could feel more than Lavender Brown's eyes on us. In fact, it seemed the whole hall had turned to watch, including Ron, scowling, now with an arm draped around Fleur. The moment that our feelings had finally been realised suddenly became horrible, and the tango was cut short. If Dumbledore had wanted people to forget of Voldemort that night, he had damned well succeeded.

            A/N Tell me what you're thinking. Review.


	21. Emotion Sickness

            Disclaimer: The character's are J.K Rowlings, did ya know that?

            A/N: I know this thing strongly resembles a soap opera, but rememer this words of the Bard while you're reading this:

_The course of true love never did run smooth._

"We need to talk" Harry whispered as we walked through the halls the next day, on our way to Defence Against the Dark Arts.

            "I agree. When?? I replied. I glanced at Ron, as it seemed strange to be talking like this with him right next to us, but he was staring ahead in a blank, dreamy way. _Probably thinking about Fleur._

"Can you meet me at the pitch at the end of Quidditch practice tonight?" he asked.

            "I nodded, and the conversation was over. We entered the classroom, and hardly exchanged a word until that night.

            That night, at 8:30pm, I made my way to the Quidditch pitch with apprehension. I had left the Gryffindor common room half an hour earlier, telling Ron that I was going to the library to look something up, and had even gone there and done it for good measure. But I left quickly when I saw it was twenty-five minutes passed the hour, telling myself it was stupid to have thought Ron would ask me about it when I got back, anyway.

            I was so worried. Obviously Harry and I would talk about what had happened the previous night, but what I wanted to know was, what happened next? I didn't feel like I knew my own heart. Did I want to attempt dating Harry? Or did I prefer 'flirty Harry'? And how the heck did he feel now? It had felt real the night before, but how could I use one moment to determine someone's feeling, or even my own? I felt like my head was going to explode as I sat down on the stands next to the change room. I had passed the rest of the Gryffindor team on my way down, so I knew Harry was alone in there. Maybe I could just creep in? _But what if he's in the shower? Well, that wouldn't be so bad…_At that moment; Harry stumbled out of the door.

            "Oof!"

            I let out a little laugh.

            "Suave!" I called out. He looked up and grinned at me, absolutely melting the remains of my heart that were not yet molten. He came and sat next to me. 

            "Hello" he said in a very polite, British way.      

            "Hello yourself" I replied.

            "So, yeah, talking…" he started, but drifted off, blushing red. I found I couldn't think of what to say, either. There was an awkward silence, which I hate.

            "What's going on between us, Hermione?" he blurted out. Unbeknownst to me, I started fidgeting.

            "I dunno. That was a pretty, uh, _intense _dance last night" I muttered, tucking my hair behind my ear.  

            "Well, how do you feel about me" he asked, eyes narrowing. I started squirming in my seat, unable to feel comfortable under his scrutinizing gaze.

            "Don't ask me that yet, Harry…"

            "You must have some idea! Do you love me?"

            _What?_

"No! I mean, ugh, I'm _attracted _to you, but it's a bit early for love don't you think?

            "Yeah…I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you that…" He slapped his forehead.

            "Well, how do you feel about _me,_ Harry?" I asked. This is what I was there for.

            "I like you…you're beautiful! And you're…Hermione! I dunno".

            "Do you want to date me?"

"What about Ron?" he asked.

            "What _about _Ron?" I repeated. What did Ron have to do with this?

            "Well, he's our best friend and…haven't you ever noticed the way he looks at you?" he demanded.

            "Erm…no…what do you mean?"

            "He's in love with you! Are you willing to hurt him, Hermione?"

            The fidgeting went to my feet; I couldn't stop playing with them.

            "Of course not! But…I want you. Not him. Anyway, he's obviously not very devoted to me, you should've seen him with Fleur last night!"

            "He was probably down after you ditched him post bitch-fight with Cho!" he shouted.

            "Hey, _you're _the one that sent him to dance with Fleur!" I shot back.

            "It doesn't matter. Fleur…I don't think fleur means anything to him…It's all you".

            "Whatever, I didn't come here to talk about Ron", I said shortly.

            "Well, I don't know about _you, _but _I _care about him".

            "I swallowed the lump in my throat.

            "Maybe we shouldn't do this then. Why don't you date _him?_" This was getting out of hand. _Stupid pride. And stupid bloody Ron!_

            Harry stood up.

            "Maybe you're right. If you'll excuse me, I have to go and have and write up some Quidditch plays. Goodbye". He said "goodbye" so definitively that I scrambled to my feet and pushed past, running all the way up to the common room and collapsing on a couch. The few people in the room hardly noticed my, or my tears.

            I sat on the couch for almost an hour, replaying the conversation in my head and regretting it more and more each time. Eventually my mind was spent. I dragged myself up off the couch, wandering over to the steps with my eyes downcast. As I paused at the bottom of the stairs, I felt two strong arms encircle my waist.

            "Hi" a voice said in my ears. The voice was Harry's.

            "I thought we agreed not to do this" I said in the coldest voice I could muster. Harry spun me around.

            "What are you talking about? Anyway, I'm so sorry I missed out talk, I think a Bludger got out while I was packing up the Quidditch balls, I've been out cold on the changing room floor for the last two ours.

            Suddenly, I felt very sick.

A/N Sorry it's been a week, had tragic writer's block (my Elbereth, madam-pyro and tarz will couch for that, I'm sorry I was whining so much ;) ). Anyway, sorry that chapter was about as subtle as a nuclear wahead. No I don't think you're stupid, I expect everyone knows what's going on here, what I want to do is explore the ramifications. Please review!


	22. Polyjuice!

            Disclaimer: The characters belong to J.K Rowling

A/N Thanks reviewers! I read all of them in earnest – in fact, one of you gave me an idea that I didn't even think of ;)

Hell yeah. I was feeling sick. Because I could see in his eyes that he was being completely honest – for all he knew, he'd been attacked by a rogue Bludger and had been unconscious since…the end of Quidditch practice. Which meant that wasn't Harry I'd talked to in the stands.

            "Oh God!" I gasped. Harry looked puzzled.

            "What?"

            Something…bad has happened" I started. I led him over to the couch and explained my conversation with "him".

            "Someone must have used Polyjuice Potion", I explained, "but who would want to imitate you?" I pondered.

            Harry rolled his eyes.

            "I would have thought _that _would be obvious," he muttered. I was still perplexed.

            "Who?"

            "Ron! It's so pathetically obvious. He was not only trying to drive a wedge between us, he was declaring his love for you, too!"

            He had a point.

            "But Ron's not _that _stupid, is he? He must have known you'd come straight to me"

            Harry looked sceptical.

            "Don't think _too _highly of him, Hermy".

            I had to smile. Harry frowned at me, while raising his eyebrows as if to ask "What?"

            "I should have known. He never once called me 'Hermy'" I said with a giggle. Harry smiled back at me but suddenly shuffled closer to me on the seat.

            "I hate that he hurt you" he whispered, passion burning in his eyes.

            "Oh, it was my pigheadedness as much as anything-" I said, but was cut off. By lips. On mine. Making it quite hard to speak. Being kissed had taken me completely off-guard, and I was still mumbling away for a few seconds, before I started getting used to the feeling of our lips pressed together, and liking it. So I started kissing him back. It was quite heavenly actually, and I was awakened to the realisation that in the back of my 15 year-old brain, I had been fantasising about this for the last three months, although if I was more honest, it was more like three years. The most important thing was, it felt so _right _- Harry, me, red leather…couch and lips and bodies.  I kept fluttering my eyes open and closed; in some subconscious effort to make sure this was actually _happening _– that I wasn't in some lovely dream. If I was, I was quite happy to stay asleep forever, O.W.Ls be damned. Unfortunately, my imagination started to go awry, and I foresaw myself fluttering my eyes open to find a certain redhead next to me on the couch. My eyes flew open. Still Harry. I pushed him away slightly and as soon as out lips broke away from each other, I started to feel the loss, like someone had just cut off my hand. I pushed the feeling away too. Harry was looking guilty, so I patted his arm.

            "If that's you, then you have nothing to worry about. But I was pretty well convinced earlier, how do I know this isn't the impostor?" I asked. _So help them God if this is the impostor._

"Well, what's something that I know that no-one else knows, not even Ron?" Harry asked. I let out a laugh at the thought that came to mind.

            "Well, I know Harry wouldn't tell Ron this. After we went swimming last holidays, what did we do?" I asked with a grin. Harry returned a flirtatious smile.

            "We shared a lovely spa bath, and you left me high and dry, which is starting to become a habit of yours, young lady" he said, giving me a mock-frown.

            "Sorry" I said, and swung my legs around so they were resting on his lap

            "That's quite alright. You know I'd forgive you anything," he said, stroking my legs absently.

            "Ah, I'm sure I'll be putting that to the test sometime" I said with a sigh.

            "So does this mean we're-"

            "Dating?" I interjected.

            "Yeah. How very American of us. How are we supposed to 'date' at boarding school?" Harry asked with a laugh.

            "Well, you can accompany me to the Three Broomsticks next Hogsmeade weekend. You can buy me a 'soda'" I said with my best American accent. We'd seen too many _Happy Days _re-runs over the holidays.

            Harry snorted.

            "Give me a Butterbeer any day"

            By now my robes had been pushed up to my knees and he was stroking my bare calves, making me shiver involuntarily, then giggle.

            "You're damn well lucky this common room was empty when you came in".

            "Mmm, yeah, think of all the things I would've missed out on"

            "Hey, you just watch yourself, I haven't said we were dating yet". I smiled.   

            "Why is it up to you?"

            "Because I'm the girl"

            "Oh, but of course milady" he said sarcastically.

            "Watch it," I growled, jokingly.

            Of course, by now, he had got my shoes off and was tickling my feet in the most delicious and strangely erotic way.

            "Okay. We can date now" I said, divinely happy.

            "Good" he said, stopping to kiss my hand and stroke my hair. I got to my feet.

            "I'm sleepy," I said shortly. I hadn't realised how late it was.

            "Goodnight kiss?" he asked at the foot of the stairs, with a sweet look on his face.

            I obliged, trusting him and the situation enough not to open my eyes once, simply wrapping my arms around his neck and enjoying his lips on mine and his strong hands around my waist. It had to stop somewhere so I opened my eyes and broke away. And was greeted by a horrible sight. Ron. Coming in the door that is.

A/N Ron lovers don't kill me! All is not what it seems. Reviews muchly welcomed.


	23. This Day Just Keeps Getting Better

Disclaimer: Character names and the Hogwartsverse belong to J.K Rowling. Sorry J.K ;)

            A/N: Yes dreamkin. I agree, the last chapter was pretty cheesy but that was just lazy writing and I had to get them together _some _time, lol. Anyhoo, thanks heaps reviewers, I hope you like this chapter! And YAY, passed 100 reviews! Thanks for the theories Nessie…I'll uh, keep them in mind…Elbereth – Devilish Harry is a weird product of my imagination, but it could be any guy. I could write Snape (:P) that way if I wanted to!

Ron was absolutely bug-eyed at the sight of Harry and I with out arms wrapped around each other. I jumped away from Harry, but he grabbed my hand. Personally, I thought it was a bad idea, as it looked like steam was about to start coming out of Ron's ears and didn't particularly want any hexes flying across the room.

            "So, uh, what are you doing out so late Ron?" I asked, going crimson.

            "Nothing much. When are you guys going to learn to get a room?" Ron asked, his eyes narrowing.

            "Well, we didn't expect anyone to be sneaking in at this hour" Harry said defiantly. _Great, there goes any chance of denying it…_

"I wasn't _sneaking, _but I sure as hell didn't expect to see _that _when I came in". Ron looked truly disgusted.

            "What, thought I wouldn't come straight to her after I woke up from your little blow?" Harry spat out.

            "I don't know what you're talking about" Ron said nonchalantly.

            "Like hell you don't! Since when did you have the brains to brew Polyjuice Potion, anyway?"

            For my part, I was staying out of it, trying to judge Ron's reactions. I wasn't entirely convinced yet that it _had _been him. At that moment, he was smirking at Harry's outrage.

            "I haven't been _brewing _anything. What's wrong with you, anyway? I don't even know what I've supposedly done".

            "Tried to break us up, that's what you did!" Harry shouted. Ron laughed out loud.

            "Hey, I didn't even know you were _together _'til I walked in that door".

            "He didn't mean, "break us up" as such-" I started weakly, but Ron's attention had snapped to me.

            "And you! How presumptuous. What makes you think I'm so jealous of Harry that I'd try to break you up?"

            "So you'd deny that you fancy Hermione?" Harry asked, interrogation-style. Ron's nostrils flared.

            "This conversation is absolute bollocks. I'm going to bed" he said and climbed the stairs. When he was gone, Harry leant his forehead against mine.

            "He still didn't tell us where he was tonight," he muttered.

"What's going on with you and my brother?" a voice demanded behind me on the way to the Great Hall for breakfast the following morning. I spun around; causing a bunch of 7th Years to glare at me, to find Ginny, a concerned look on her face. _Uh-oh._

"Um, nothing. What's up?"

"I'm worried about him," she said, not appearing to be ready to elaborate any time soon.

"…And why's that?" I prodded her. I had to suss out how much she knew.

"Are you and Harry having a fight with him?" she asked, completely not answering my question.

"Not really", _(couldn't get much more vague than that…)_, "what makes you say so?"

"Well, he doesn't seem to be spending as much time with you two…and…"

"Yeah?"

"Well, I've seen him keeping some pretty strange company" she said, glancing around the Hall as we entered.  

"Like…"

"Like, I never expected to see him hanging out with-"

But Neville catching her eye and waving interrupted her.

"Sorry. I'll catch up with you later. You know how it is" she said with a small smile and a shrug, and walked off.

And as I saw Harry blowing kisses to me from the Gryffindor table, I realised, _Hey, I **do **know how it is…_

            By the time of our third class, Care of Magical Creatures, I was sincerely regretting the fact that Hogwarts didn't serve students coffee at breakfast. The combination of going to bed late and a virtually sleepless night/morning/whatever had, inevitably, led to a very tired Hermione – and traipsing around Hagrid's garden chasing Lupagabs was making me a decidedly grumpy, tired Hermione. 

            I was only glad that Ron had decided to stay with Dean and Seamus during classes – although I was sure that this wasn't the "strange company" that Ginny had been speaking of. I was completely mystified – up until the night before, Ron had spent all his time with Harry and I – hadn't he? The Ball was an exception, of course, but the truth was, I had been so wrapped up in the whole will we/ won't we thing with Harry that Ron could have been plotting to take over the word and I wouldn't have noticed. On one hand, I couldn't help but feel guilty, but on the other I felt it was becoming more and more apparent that Ron had been impersonating Harry (why else would he be avoiding us?" and so why did he deserve my sympathy?

            Ron seemed to disappear straight away at the end of class, on his way to lunch. Harry and I made our way back more slowly, although he hardly could have joined in on what _we _were doing. Eventually we got to the halls of Hogwarts, going to Gryffindor tower to drop off our books before eating.

            "Hermione!" I heard Ginny yell out. I turned around to find her running up the staircase, out of breath.

            "Finally I caught up with you" she sighed when she reached us.

            "Keep on going" I nodded to Harry, who obliged.

            We exchanged pleasantries for a bit while walking at a steady pace.

            "So what is it you had to tell me this morning?" I asked her.

            "Sorry about that, you know...Neville"

            "That's alright Ginny, but stay on track"

            "Sorry. Oh yeah. I just thought it was a bit odd"

            "_What _was?" I urged.

            "It's just I saw Ron, -"

            But it was too late. I had seen them at the end of the corridor.

            "- with Cho Chang".

A/N. Please review, I'd love to know your thoughts re: this chapter. If you think I'm doing something wrong (with the writing, not the plot, it's all mine, muhaha) then constructive criticism is definitely welcome. Oh, and this has just been a good last couple of days for writing and typing time - don't expect updates this often all the time! You know I said I got an idea from someone's review? It was Chocolat Elf's, for Chapter 21! Man there's been a lot of author's notes for this chap, must be in a chatty mood, I'll shut up now!


	24. Curses

Disclaimer: Characters are the work of the wonderful J.K Rowling.

            A/N A warning first up: _This chapter contains coarse language. _All is still not what it seems. Thanks again reviewers (yes, I'm going to say that every chap, to my new reviewers and to the lovely loyal ones :D ) Chocolat Elf: Thanks for the cookies *munches on cookie * Can't tell you what a Lupagab is, I made it up, lol. Just one of Hagrid's creatures. Enough rambles, on with Chapter 24, In Which the Characters Don't Swear Nearly as Much As The Author.

            A/N2 Okay, just a little adjustment here after reading dreamkin's review. And the last line's changed, to make things a little clearer.

I couldn't help myself. Although he had almost certainly betrayed Harry and I, I felt immediately protective when I saw Ron with Cho. I mean, he'd _been _there at the Ball, he knew the situation! Why did he want to talk to her? Suddenly, fleur seemed like a lovely girl…I marched over, in a rage.

            "What the _fuck _is going on here?" I shouted. There were taken about. You see, I wasn't really in the habit of hardcore swearing. The worst thing I said was 'shit', and that was only in dire circumstances. Unfortunately, they weren't the only one I had shocked.

            "Miss Granger!"

            _Oh fuck. Fuck, there I go again. Argh!_

"Professor Snape" I said in a grim tone as I turned around to see his pallid face – although at this moment, the blood flowing to his face made it an almost healthy, pink colour.

            "You'll be cleaning up your potty mouth in detention tonight. Twenty points from Gryffindor".

            I nodded, knowing any words would come out as a squeak under his blazing eyes.

            Harry chose the very wrong moment to come around the corner and see Ron and Cho together.

            "Shit! What the _Hell _are you two doing?" he exclaimed, and his eyes swept the scene, with Ginny still visibly shocked by my outburst, and Snape glaring at him with a vindictive smile.

            "Ah, Potter. I see where Miss Granger learnt her _impeccable _language", he said with a sneer, "you'll join her tonight in detention. And a further thirty points from your house".

            Ron seemed ready to yell something at Snape, but apparently remembered that he was angry with us and shut up. He and Cho shared a glance and then strode off, knowing we wouldn't do anything under Snape's watchful gaze. They were long gone when Snape sauntered off with a final glower.

            "Ah, fuck me" Harry muttered. I smirked at him.

            "I don't know how you expect me to even _kiss _you, with a dirty mouth like that".

            "Like this" he grinned and I found myself pressed against the corridor wall, incredibly glad that everyone had moved onto lunch, and feeling sorry for the scandalised portraits around us.

            Ron, the sneaky bugger, managed to avoid us for the rest of the day. I was _determined _to know what was going on there. _He couldn't possibly be messing around with Cho, could he?_ Unlike Harry, the guy _knew _she had a boyfriend. What could he possibly have to gain by getting close to her, apart from maybe herpes?

            Such questions were still racing through my mind as Harry and I trudged hand in hand down to Snape's dungeon. I would've preferred a years worth of Divination lessons with Professor Trelawney to this detention. Didn't Snape have some halls to prowl, or some axl grease to buy for his hair, or a hole to curl up and die in?

            Instinctively, we released hands when we reached the door to out Potions room. No need to give Snape something else to sneer at. At the same time, Draco Malfoy rushed out of the dungeon. "Move it" he growled and we did, shocked at the sight of him. I could've sworn his eyes were bloodshot, but didn't get time to check as he hurried off. Sharing a glance, we entered the room. Snape was not in sight, so we sat down at a table. After a few seconds, he popped up from under his bench at the front of the classroom.

            "At, Potter, Granger, the foul-mouthed ones", he said with a look of distaste, "I better keep you separated, wouldn't want you teaching each other any more profanities".

            He looked away for a moment, as if he's already lost track of the conversation. His eyes momentarily glazed over, then snapped back into focus.

            "Miss Granger, I think you will find that my First Years made quite a mess today in that corner". He pointed. "Clean it. _Without_ usingmagic" he spat out, with something that could only be described as a smile when it appeared on Snape.

            "Potter, you come with me. I have a special assignment for you. I'll be back to check on you Miss Granger, so no cheating" he said, and swept out of the room. Harry cast me a worried look, blew me a kiss, and ran out of the room to follow him.        

            Reluctantly, I made my way over to the corner he had pointed to. It was disgusting. Some Neville Longbottom-type – or perhaps a few – had knocked over a beaker of thick liquid, which was glowing an unnatural purple hue, and smelt like something Crookshanks might have thrown up. Pinching my nose, I made my way over to Snape's nearest supplies, looking for some sort of cleaning liquid and equipment. My eyes brushed over bottle upon bottle, some empty, some filled with solution that was brown like Polyjuice. Finally, shoved at the back, I grabbed some of 'Moira May's Mighty Magical Cleaner' with a smirk. _It's not really **using **magic is it? _A scrubbing brush was located and I retreated back to the dungeon, reluctant to have Snape creep up on me whilst I was amongst his life's work.

            I got down on my hands and knees and got to work on the potion, which, unfortunately, had seeped into the floor and was glowing magenta. I was in my second hour of scrubbing when Snape swept in.

            "That's enough Miss Granger. Return to your tower. I hope you've learnt your lesson" he said with his usual sunshine expression.

            "Thankyou, Professor Snape" I muttered and scrambled out of the room. I was in dire need of a shower, and I still had homework to finish. Harry was waiting for me outside with a dour look on his face.

            "Hey, it couldn't have been that bad" I said and grabbed his hand. He pulled it away. _What the…?_

"What's wrong?" I asked. Just a couple of hours ago he's been blowing me kisses! What the hell had Snape's "special assignment" been?

"Hermione, we can't be together", he said bluntly, refusing to meet my eyes, as my heart broke into a thousand pieces.

A/N Sorry. Please review!


	25. I Won't Back Down

            Disclaimer: Characters belong to J.K Rowling blah blah blah.

            A/N Sorry it took so long to update, you know how it is. Can't solve the Draco issue yet – I have no idea how it came into my head – if you've got a good idea, stick it in the review. Thanks heaps reviewers and on with the show!

I wasn't about to take this lying down.

            "Why not?"

            "I don't want to talk about this _here. _Can we go back to the tower or something?" He looked like he wanted to get away from Snape's dungeon, _fast._

"We'll find an open classroom" I muttered, grabbed his hand, and pulled him away. He didn't resist.

            Finding a classroom on the first floor, I yanked open the door, led Harry inside and shut it silently behind me. I opened my mouth to speak but he cut me off.

            "Look, this is the last thing I want to do, Hermy, but Snape pointed a few things out to me-"

            I snorted.

            "Oh, I'm sure he did. What the hell could he say to you to make you want to break up with me? Convinced you that I'm going to betray you, go to the dark side, has he? That's absolutely ridiculous!" I whispered loudly.

            "I'm trying to _protect _you"

            "From what? Ever experiencing love?" Okay, I realise _now _that I was being a little ridiculous, but it was very distressing at the time~

            "I think you're being a little melodramatic Hermione, we're only fifteen," he said with a small smile.

            "Juliet was younger than that!"

            "Yeah, and look how she ended up. Anyway, Romeo and Juliet are fictional characters".

            I simply rolled my eyes and muttered something about boys not having any knowledge of romance.

            "Hermione, it's not forever – just until Voldemort's defeated"

            _Hmmm._

            "Explain"

            "Well, as I was saying, Snape pointed out a few things  - one being that Voldemort, evil guy that he is, has a certain habit of killing off the loved ones of his enemies. And now that he's come back into power…well, let's just say that you were already in enough danger being one of my best friends, let alone my _girlfriend_".

            I'm sure it made sense in his head, anyway.

            "Look Harry, I appreciate the sentiment, but if he's going to be coming after both of us anyway, shouldn't we be together and happy, instead of torturing ourselves trying to be friends?"

            "I can't think of anything worse than putting you in more danger," he shook his head, looking at his feet, "sometimes I think you'd be better off dating Ron"

            I let out a laugh and shook my head firmly.

            "Uh-uh, not happening. Anyway, the Muggle-born dating the son of the 'Muggle-lover' – I'd be in just as much danger. Either way, I'm in this for the long run, Harry. And it could take quite some time to defeat Voldemort, I couldn't stand not being with you for years on end".

He sighed.

"No, I don't want to be in it alone, either. I couldn't have got through these last couple of years without you," he paused, "and Ron".

I couldn't find anything to say at the mention of Ron's name. But he _had _been a great friend to Harry, and I knew he needed him almost as much as he needed me.

"I have to talk to him, Hermione, I'd prefer he was chasing _you _than hanging around Cho"

"Thanks for the consideration" I said sarcastically.

"You know what I mean. She's bad news, and I think she's had a nasty influence on him. Obviously I want to know what was going on with the Polyjuice, but hopefully he can come to terms with us being, you know, together, and we can be friends again. We really don't need any more enemies at this point".

"Ooh, how I'd like to use one of the Unforgivables on Cho…" I muttered.

"Hermione" Harry said in a warning tone.

"Maybe we could convince Voldemort that _she's _your girlfriend, and he'd go after _her_?" I pondered out loud.

"You don't want to go there, Hermy. Anyway, she's just a petty teenage girl, she'll get what's coming to her".

"Yeah, my fist…" I laughed.

            Harry enveloped me in a hug.

            "You know, I love that you're passionate," he said while he stroked my hair, "but your vindictive side isn't your best".

            I smirked, even though he couldn't see it, with my head nestled on his shoulder.

            "Oh, and how do you like me?"

            He pulled back and gave me a sinful smile.

            "On the other end of my lips".

            I grinned, leaned forward and gave him the chastest, closed-mouth kiss I could muster.

            "Tease", he growled, but I was already on my way back to the tower.

            The next morning I woke up with a feeling of happiness and being content with the world, an emotion I generally associated with people in love or in films. And what with life not being a film and all, I figured hey, I must be in love! Of course I felt happiest when I was around Harry, but don't all people feel that way about their best friends? He had become this amazing creature to me – someone who had overcome tragedy to become this person who dealt with danger every day, was courageous and brave, but had a normal enough life and went through the same things that all teenage boys sis. It was like I was Lois Lane, and had discovered that her Clark Kent – a cool enough guy in his own right – was Superman as well. Strange thought, I know, but hey, I was in love.

            By the time I got to the Greta Hall, I had worked myself into such a state that I was dying to see him. And there he was, waving at me, black hair messy as ever, looking slightly dorky with his round glasses, but with those amazing green eyes flashing behind them, happy to see me. I ran over and pecked him on the cheek. Let me tell you, if we hadn't been in such a public place, it would have been _much _more than a peck.

            "Guess what?" he hissed secretly as I sat down next to him/

            "What?" I asked with a smile. He seemed decidedly perky this morning.

            "I got a letter from Sirius".

A/N Okay, so did you like it, or was it sappy crap? I'm trying to make them real here, so yeah, they say stupid stuff. Review please!


	26. A Disgusting Pair

            Disclaimer: Officially, all these characters and stuff belong to _Warner Brothers _but I prefer to attribute them to J.K, cuz she's the genius that came up with it.

            A/N: Okay, I know it has been _way too long, _but I had a major case of post-OotP writer's block. Basically I was having plausibility issues, but I'm over that now. My story is a complete alternate universe to J.K's Year 5 at Hogwarts.  Big claps to Elbereth, who with her update whoring, inspired me to actually finish this chapter.  So, yeah, I'm on holidays now so hopefully updates will be more frequent J

            Thanks heaps reviewers, less sappy this chapter, and the Harry/Ron confrontation is coming up soon. Thanks Randy Candy, especially, for your two reviews – although I maintain that you guys only see Harry as sexy cuz you want to. On with the show!

            I let out a little squeal and hugged him furiously.

            "So, what does it say?" I asked eagerly.

            "He's in Hogsmeade. He wants to see me" Harry whispered with a smile. My hand went to my mouth.

            "Harry, that's really dangerous" I whispered back.

            "Don't worry Hermione, he's using the 'lovable-stray' routine"

            "Even so, who knows how many people are aware by now that he's an Animagus?"

            "I've got to risk it. I need to know what my godfather's been doing. This letter-" he waved it around my face "-is useless, apart from telling me where he is".

            "I want to come with you" I said quickly.

            "No, uh-uh. We'd both have to go under the Invisibility Cloak" he said, like it was a valid reason. I quirked an eyebrow at him (such a useful talent, don't know how some people survive without it…). Harry smiled.

            "No. We'd never make it to Hogsmeade".

            I turned up the pout. He frowned at me.

            "Stop that. It won't work. Didn't I tell you that I didn't want to pit you in any more danger than necessary?"

            "You think I'll be a hindrance?" I asked, hurt.

            "No! Well, maybe.  Please just let me do this on my own. Maybe while I'm gone you can … spend some time with Ron?" he said hopefully. I shook my head.

            "You're leading the crusade with that one, buster, not me. When does he want you to go?"

            "Tomorrow night" he replied, looking at his lap.

            "Harry! You only got in trouble last night, and you're risking it again _that _soon?" I hissed heatedly. The boy was well down the road to being expelled.

            "Hermy, please don't try and block me on this, you know how much it means to me".

I clutched his hand under the table.

            "I know. I'm not going to stand in your way. I want to know what's going on almost as much as you do. But _be careful_".

            The following days brought me to the full realisation of what a disgusting pair Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson made. They never dated (even though she was a pure-blood, I think she was always too ugly for Draco's father to allow a relationship), but looking back, they must have been sleeping together from at least 5th Year onwards. Urgh, why? She couldn't, but _he _could definitely do better.

            Anyway, it seemed that they had been watching the 'Harry and Hermione Show' at breakfast, had come to the realisation that we were dating (hmm, seemed the portrait gossip of our snogging in the corridors hadn't reached the Slytherin common rooms. Even the portraits don't like Slytherins) and decided to torture the living heck out of us. Finally everything they'd read in the _Daily Prophet_ last year was coming true (although about 6 months too late for Viktor). I felt extremely happy I'd put Rita Skeeter out of commission, or else she would've had a field day.

            Care of Magical Creatures was punctuated by sniggers and slurping noises from the Slytherins, although they couldn't do any more, attempting to control some particularly frenzied fairies. I could see Ron, with Dean and Seamus, conscientiously ignoring them.

            After CoMC, I headed off to Arithmancy, one of my favourite subjects – not only is it interesting, but an extremely disloyal side of me liked having a lesson without Harry and Ron as distractions. No wonder I did so well in it.

            Following Arithmancy was the dreaded Potions. Most of the Slytherins and Gryffindors were inside, so I went in and sat next to Harry. Looking around, Snape didn't appear to be in the classroom, and Malfoy took the opportunity to swagger over, followed by a bunch of Slytherins, including a tittering Pansy.

            "Hmm, so you chose the mudblood then, Potter?"

            "Who's Weasel gonna get some off now?" Pansy asked with a snicker.

            "Even _Cho Chang _won't touch him now" Malfoy added, sneering in Ron's direction two tables away. Before Harry (or Ron) could open their mouths to hex him (really, 'mudblood' was starting to lose it's effect) I cleared my throat.

            "Well, Draco, you've obviously chosen a 'pureblood' for _your _girlfriend' I said, nodding at Pansy, who blushed, "you can see a century's worth of inbreeding on her face".

            The Gryffindors laughed but Harry spoke before Malfoy could retort.

            "Tell me, Malfoy, do you ever feel like you're kissing a pug with particularly bad breath?"

            Quick as a flash, Draco stopped glaring and gave us a vindictive smile.

            "I wouldn't know. Tell me, Potter, do you ever feel like you're kissing a fat, frizzy-haired rabbit that talks to much? And to think, you could have had Fleur Delacour…" he shook his head mock-forlornly, and Snape strode in.

            "Please return to your seat, Mr Malfoy. WE will be working on the Petrification Potion this lesson" he said and turned to write the ingredients on the board. Malfoy used the opportunity to throw a smug smile at us. I had to hand it to him, he knew how to hurt a girl: go for the looks, then remind her of someone much more attractive than her. It made me all the more eager to know what he'd been doing in Snape's dungeon the night before.

A/N And hopefully she'll find out, huh? Okay, hopefully the next chapter will be up faster than this last one. You know what I find really inspires me to write? That's right, reviews ;)


	27. Reconcile

Disclaimer: Warner Bro.'s, J.K's, whatever, the characters and Hogwarts ain't mine.

A/N: Looky this, I know it wasn't exactly fast but guess what, I've already started the _next _chapter after this one. If you haven't noticed, this story is starting to wrap up, mainly due to my resolution that it would be finished before my Trial H.S.C in about a month. So you've got at least a few chapter's to go, but that's my reason if I don't pick too many new fights in up-coming chapters. And yes, Harry/Ron showdown is coming up.

Thanks to all the reviewers (I noticed a few of my regular readers haven't reviewed the last chapter, I hope you guys haven't given up on me), especially new reviewer Gizelle: In relation to the Oliver poster, _I wish! _Sean Biggerstaff is so much hotter than Harry, I wish I could make a story with him as the love interest. If you want a good Oliver story though, check out Elbereth's Being For The Benefit of Mr Wood, it's on my fave stories list. Christ, too many notes, on with the bloody story.

The next morning Harry ran up to the Owlery, to send a letter double-checking his plans with Sirius, leaving me to walk down to breakfast by myself. Not far from the Gryffindor common room, however, I felt a hand on my shoulder. Spinning around, I was confronted by a rather cautious-looking Ron. I threw him a glare and he quickly removed his hand from my shoulder, as if burnt.

            "Look, uh, Hermione, I just wanted to say, what Malfoy was calling you yesterday was horrible" he rushed out. Recognizing his attempt to try and repair the situation between us, I shrugged, gave him a small smile a continued walking.

            "Oh, you know me, it doesn't really bother me. They weren't exactly being nice to you either".

            He smiled to himself.

            "Ah, but they don't know how wrong they are…" he said mysteriously. My eyes narrowed.

            "Wait – you and Cho aren't…" I made frantic gestures with my hands, not wanting to say it in words. He was peering at me as though he didn't understand, then his eyes widened in a look of surprise.

            "What? No!" he shook his head "Look, there's been a misunderstanding here. I really need to talk to you...and Harry. Will you two be free tonight?"

            "Ummm, actually, I think Harry's got Quidditch practise tonight" I bluffed.

            "No, that's tomorrow night, the timetable's up in the common room".

            "He's busy tonight, okay?" I said hastily. Ron stopped walking, looking suspicious.

            "What's he up to?"

            "Never you mind"

            Ron backed off a few steps with a defensive gesture.

            "Okay, okay. So what are _you _up to tonight?" he queried as we resumed our journey to the Great Hall.

            "My homework. Thought I'd get a start on that Transfiguration essay Professor McGonagall set us, too".

            "But it's not due for three weeks!" Ron exclaimed, apparently stunned at my motivation.

            "I just want to make sure I get it done" I said, as we entered the Great Hall.

            "So do you, uh, mind if I join you? Nothing funny" he asked with a grin.

            _Ron, doing schoolwork without me forcing him to?_

            "No, feel free, I'll see you in the common room tonight" I said to him, and sat down to wait for Harry.

            I managed to avoid telling Harry all day about my plans for that night. After all, it was only doing schoolwork together. Harry was very pleased, however, that we had managed a civil conversation.

            "So, I didn't end up 'leading the crusade' after all" he'd smirked on our way out of History of Magic.

            "Hey, _he _approached _me" _I corrected him.

            "We, I'm glad he did" he said, kissed me on the cheek and headed off to Divination.

            He still seemed glad as he headed out of the common room, with his Invisibility Cloak and the Marauders map. I was to go to the door at 8:30pm and let him back in.

            "Hows about another talk with Ron tonight?" he said with a grin as he left, little did he know.

            Dean and Seamus grinned over at me when Ron joined me at a table in the common room five minutes later. _Seems like they're sick of his company already._

"Do you mind if I borrow today's History of Magic notes? I, uh, missed a few points" he asked.

            "You mean you were gazing out the window the whole time as usual" I said, not lifting my head from my Ancient Runes homework.

            "Yep, that'd be it" he laughed.

            "Yes, alright. But perhaps you could try listening some time?"

            Ten minutes later, Ron stopped his furious scribbling away.

            "Hermione, what's Harry doing tonight?"

            I sighed and looked at him. If Harry was really determined to e friends with Ron again, he was going to find out anyway, right? I dropped my voice to a whisper.

            "He's gone to see Sirius in Hogsmeade"

            Ron looked faintly surprised.

            "Really? Cool".

            "No, _not _cool Ron. It's really dangerous".

            He shook his head.

            "Bloody hell, being in a relationship hasn't made _you _lighten up".

            I glowered at him. He fell silent and went back to notes. Fifteen minutes were as long as I could last before posing the question I'd been dying to ask.

            "So, you and Cho aren't…together?" I enquired casually.

            "Nope, never were." Ron said matter-of-factly.

            "But…I saw you…Ginny said…" I stuttered, utterly perplexed.

            "Really, that was all a big misunderstanding. But I think we should save that conversation for when Harry's here. Anyway, I fancy someone else" he said lightly.

            _Oh God let it not still be me._

He looked at me with a light in his eyes.

            "You remember Fleur Delacour?"

            _How could I forget?_

"Yes..."

            "Well, after we spent most of the Halloween Ball together" (he said this with a pointed look at me) "we kinda started owling each other…I think she really likes me"

            "Isn't she a bit…_old_ for you?" I asked, still surprised.

            "The same age as Krum" he said defensively.

            "I dunno, long distance relationships…"

            "Well, actually, she's been talking to Dumbledore, and she might be coming here next year to teach!" he said, a huge grin spreading across his face.

            "Teaching what?"

            "'Tis a mystery" he said with a sly look.

            I found I was incredibly pleased for Ron. Not only was _anyone _better than Cho Chang, Fleur seemed to make him happy, which was all I'd ever wanted for him (well, apart from when he was being _very _unsupportive of S.P.E.W)

            "C'mere you" I muttered under my breath and pulled him into a hug, even though he was reluctant (_Boys…_)

            Someone cleared their throat behind us.

            "Can't leave you with my girlfriend for a minute, can I?"

A/N: Please review! Yes, I do say Bloody hell a lot, in my writing and in real life.


	28. Please Explain

            Disclaimer: Character's are J.K's.

Notes are at the bottom so you don't have to go through half a page of 'em to get to the story.

_Bloody Hell, are we ever going to have a moment's peace around here?_

"Harry! How did you get in?" I asked in a steady voice, disentangling myself from Ron and turning around.

            He'd hardly looked angrier in the time I'd known him. His face was turning from red to purple, his hands were shaking and those green eyes I loved so much were narrowing in a murderous fashion.

            "Not that it matters but my _appointment _finished up early and I snuck in behind some 6th Years. Lucky though, you probably would have been to _distracted _to open the door for me" he spat out.

            "Calm down Harry, you're jumping to conclusions" I said, placing a hand on his arm. He threw it off.

            "Conclusions?! To think, I asked you to talk to him tonight!"

            Ron looked at me, puzzled, then back to Harry.

            "Well, she was going to have to, wasn't she?" Ron said, as if explaining something to a five year old.

            "What? Why?" Harry said, bewildered.

            "We because we (he missed my glare here) organised to study together tonight…"

            Harry's eyes snapped to mine with a questioning look.

            "I…I didn't know id you'd want me to, if you'd understand" I muttered pathetically.

            "I WOULD HAVE ENCOURAGED YOU TO!" he roared. The students in the room, who had been watching intently, scampered away, leaving us alone in the common room.

            "That's because you trust me, isn't it?" I asked, trying to remain calm.

            "Yeah, what a fool…"Harry muttered defiantly.

            "Well, _I _trust _him_" I implored.

            "_Why? _He's in league with Cho. He took Polyjuice to imitate me, Hermione. He tried to manipulate our relationship. He's been in love with you for years, he's jealous!" Harry shouted, flailing his arms about.

            "Not anymore" I said quietly.

            "What?" said Harry incredulously, but Ron overrode me in my reply.

            "If you calm down, I'll tell you about Cho, I'll tell you about the Polyjuice and why I'm _not _jealous…anymore" he said evenly.

            Harry sat down across from us.

            "You know if you give us some bollocks story, I can take you on," he said threateningly. I snorted.

            "You don't want to take on Ginny Weasley if she decides to back him up". Ron cleared his throat.

            "It'll be the truth. I think I owe you two that much" he said sincerely. Harry raised an eyebrow.

            "You got that right".

            "Can I get on with the story please?" Ron asked with a glare.

            "Go right ahead Ron" I said, glancing at Harry.

            "Alright. Well." He flushed red. "Yes Hermione, I _did _have a crush on you. And I did for a while. And _he,_" he pointed at Harry, "knew that. It's probably the only reason he ever saw you as fanciable." Harry opened his mouth to object, but Ron cut him off.

            "Anyway, it became pretty clear after Harry stayed at your place during the holidays that he'd been pulling the moves on you, and I was jealous. But you agreed to go to the Halloween Ball with me, so I figured there might be hope yet. But then, well, you got all jealous over Cho, and then the dance lessons, and the actual Ball (here he glanced at me as though he hadn't shunned me for Fleur anyway) and well, I got _really _jealous. And I think Cho saw that. Anyway, the day after the ball she came up to me and started feeding me some story about how she thought you really liked me but that I had to make sure you two didn't get together, and she was willing to help me. I was such an idiot that I didn't question her motives for one minute. She said she'd got her hands on some Polyjuice Potion from Snape's dungeon, and I remembered that you two had planned to meet that night".

            "So you _were_ listening," I thought out loud. He gave me a wan smile.

            "Yes, I was. Anyway, I had Harry's toothbrush, which I'd forgotten to give back, and it had some of his hairs on it, so I took the Polyjuice, went down to the change room and nocked Harry out while he was packing up the Quidditch set. I think you both know what happened that night. I was really surprised when I found out that you were together, I reckon that was some of the best acting of my life when I found you two…So I hunted down Cho the next day and told her it hadn't worked. She hit the roof, said I was an idiot – that's what she was saying when you two went on your swearing rampage. And I felt really guilty after that, that's why I've been avoiding you. I didn't have the guts to tell you what I'd done, I'm such an idiot." He sighed.

            "Yeah, you're right, you are" Harry said. Meanwhile, all the pieces were falling into place in my head.

            "He's not going to do any more stupid things, though, because he's not jealous anymore" I grinned.

            "That was sudden". Harry looked dubious.

            "Yeah, well, that Fleur Delacour's quite a girl" Ron said, suppressing a smile.

            "Fleur Delacour?" Harry repeated?

            "The very same. We've been owling each other since the ball".

            "You're a lucky man" Harry said, apparently relieved his girlfriend wasn't being lusted after anymore (by anyone else, that is). I slapped his shoulder.

            "Watch your mouth". Harry glanced at me, then back at Ron.

            "Well, good luck mate. Hey, maybe you can help us with something".

            "Yeah?" Ron looked eager to make up for his wrongdoings. I caught on to Harry's game.

            "Yeah, the other day, the other day we caught Malfoy rushing out of Snape's dungeon…"

A/N: No, that is not the end! We aren't finishing this story without somehow explaining what the heck Malfoy was doing down there…

            Thanks heaps reviewers for your lovely comments on the last chapter. What do you guys think of this Fleur thing anyway? Is it plausible? No one said anything about that except Chocolat Elf (thanks a ton for your massive review. In one note of reply, I write the Slytherins like that because that's how J.K does and their character development isn't exactly integral to the plot. I'm not a member at Fiction Alley so I haven't really considered it, but hey, I'm a feedback whore, lol, so maybe I will). 

            Reviews of this chapter will be much appreciated!


	29. Illicit Dealings & Eighteen

Obviously, I apologise very much for taking so long to update - in fact, I have my doubts as to whether some people that read and reviewed faithfully will even find this chapter. But the story needs an end, and here it is. I've been battling the last four months of high school in the story's downtime - not just sitting on my butt. But exams are over, and all this new Prisoner of Azkaban movie stuff was released (anyone else think June can't come soon enough?) and I found my inspiration. So thankyou everyone who has read this story. It's jumpy, it's got inconsistencies, but it's my baby. Oh, and in my downtime, I actually wrote the first chapter of another HP fanfic (it's could be a romance - but no love triangles involving Hermione). Keep your eyes peeled, because it just might go somewhere. Almost forgot - there's a little something different about this chapter. Think of it as 'choose your own adventure'. I couldn't decide what Snape and Draco were doing, so I wrote 2 options. The option with the most preference in reviews will be the final version - I'll be editing in one week. Happy reading!  
  
Two days after our talk with Ron, Gryffindor played Quidditch against Ravenclaw. My private life was so hectic; I don't remember any other game that term. This one was memorable, mainly for the obscenities Ron yelled at Cho with me any time it appeared she was going after the Snitch. Ron had just finished shouting something very rude when I saw Harry smiling through my Omnioculars. Apparently the sound carried - I only hoped she had heard it too. Suddenly Harry's face set in grim determination, and he streaked across the pitch, hand outstretched, narrowly missing a Bludger. Cho, down the other end of the pitch, turned too late. Harry's hand was already clenched around the tiny silver ball, and he was grinning with triumphant joy. Not many people saw him maturely poke his tongue out at Cho before he sped to the ground to hug his team-mates.  
Ron and I waited outside the change room for Harry, watching the team file past, congratulating them, until only Harry was left inside. God, he takes longer than me to shower! I was about to send Ron in to find him when he walked out. I grabbed his hand, kissed his cheek, and the three f us started to leave, when we spotted Snape and Malfoy walking out of the Slytherin change rooms (which wouldn't have been that strange.if Slytherin had played that day), and engaged in a heated conversation. Exchanging a look, we ducked behind a stand and strained our ears. The pair glanced around in a covert manner just before they passed us. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
"What has this got to do with your father, Draco? Snape was asking. Malfoy grinned.  
"Nothing. Yet".  
"I'm not the least bit intimidated by him"  
"I don't believe you. Everyone has a reason to be afraid of Lucius Malfoy. Anyway, he doesn't have to be involved. All I want you to do is knock up another cauldron of what we had the other night"  
"But.that was an accident"  
"The Potions master made an intoxicating potion accidentally?"  
"Yes!"  
"Well, that accident could cost you your job"  
Snape looked around furtively and sighed.  
"Okay, I'll do it, but you're not to breathe a word of this to anyone" he said in a warning tone.  
"Yes, okay. But I think people may know something's up...it was a bit strange for me strip off my robes in the Slytherin common room as soon as I return from your office. Usually I wait until I've snuck into the girl's dorms" he finished with a wicked grin and flounced off, leaving Snape looking a combination of puzzled and disgusted. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
"What has this got to do with your father, Draco?" Snape was asking. Malfoy grinned.  
"Well, I know Death Eaters get up to some nasty things, but this one takes the cake!"  
Snape glared at him.  
"You're willing to do this over some little fight we had?"  
"Little fight! You called me a spoiled brat!"  
"He could have me killed if he finds out abour us!" Snape raised his voice, but hushed when he realize he as in public, and glanced around. Draco sneered.  
"There is no us, anymore!"  
Snape frowned.  
"Anyway, it was fun while it lasted, but if you want me to keep my lips zipped, I have a special potion I want you to mix up for me". Malfoy handed him a slip of parchment. Snape read over it and looked at him with a horrified expression.  
"You're asking me to break the law!"  
"What's another one to you? How about one last go for old times sake, hey?"  
At which point we all looked away in disgust. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
Well, I'd like to say we all lived happily ever after - but that would be a lie. Draco followed his father down the slippery slope to drug addiction, because associated with the Death Eaters and was subsequently carted off to Azkaban after Harry's defeat of Voldemort (another story in itself). Ron and Fleur lasted sux months until she got off with his brother Bill. He's yet to have a steady girlfriend since (three years later), but I keep an eye out for suitable girls (as if I'd let him have a girlfriend without my approval!). Sometimes I feel responsible for the fact that he's alone..then I remember, he's not alone. Harry, Ron and I are as close as ever. Frankly, I doubt even Harry and I breaking up could break the bond between us - something reinforced many times by all the trials we've been through together. Harry and I are still together, after breaking up for half of 7th Year. I don't know what will happen in the future. We might get married. Right now we're trying to establish ourselves in life outside of Hogwarts. We both thought we'd have to fightto get into the Ministry after all the trouble we were involved in at school, but after Harry crushed Voldemort in 7th Year (which, yeah, I had a little part in) we were shoo-ins. Harry's an Auror and I work in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, which makes us both happy, if tired. We've set up a home down the road from the Burrow, knowing we could never live without the Weasleys. Molly and Arthur are like a second set of parents - my own have a bit of trouble knowing that I can nnever go back to the Muggle world - there's no September holidays from the Ministry. But they both love Harry and get on ell with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley (when Mr. Weasley isn't asking about our toaster).  
Kids of our own? I already feel like I've raised two of them n Harry and Ron - not that I'm not pleased with the way they turned out. Ron finally grew up a bit, or enough - he's now Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts (which, coincidentally, was the position Fleur was going to get. Hopefully he can break the curse). Ginny hates having her brother as her teacher because no-one believes the reason she does well is because she is a good student (although undoubtedly carrying on the Weasley legend).  
So that's about all I can say. Snape didn't get put away for his crimes - he's still at Hogwarts, probably plotting a vendetta against Ron for being the nest person to steal his much-coveted job. Cho faded into obscurity as many mean-spirited teenage girls do, never again to appear in Witch Weekly. Sirius, unfortunately, is still in hiding, reluctant to show his face after being on the run for years. Dumbledore is fighting to clear his name now that Voldemort's been brought down. And Harry and I have found love, after mild flirtation and much confusion at the start of 5th Year. And Ron? Well, I love him too. But then, so does Harry. 


End file.
